A Mission
by CrystalSparks
Summary: There is a new girl at Bloor's Academy. She is put in the music department with Charlie Bone. Her talent is one for controlling the growth of plants. But then hypnotism whirls around their lives...and there's only one thing to do.
1. The New Girl

Disclaimer: Everything here belongs to the author Jenny Nimmo. Well, except the unfamiliar characters like Kristy, Michelle, etc. If you don't like my fanfic, don't have anything against _her. _She didn't do anything wrong. I did!

It was a beautiful autumn day. The sun was shining, the sky was bright blue, the grass green, and there was a breeze about, rustling the colorful leaves. Fluffy cumulus clouds dotted the sky, and birds chirped merrily, informing the world of a new, bright day. It was perfect. Couldn't have been any better.

But not for Kristy Twirl. Kristy was an average girl with straight auburn hair and brilliant pine-green eyes. She had pale, creamy skin with freckles sprinkled on her cheeks. She was a cheerful girl of thirteen, always smiling and laughing and making other people feel good.

So what was wrong?

This was the problem. Kristy Twirl was going to Bloor's Academy for the Gifted and Talented. She was a wonderful musician, but that wasn't the only reason she was going there.

Kristy was special. In other words, endowed. Oh, yes. She could do anything with plants. She had found out about two weeks ago. As soon as her parents had been informed, they had quickly called Dr. Bloor and with proud, smiling faces, had told her she would be going to the academy.

Kristy could see the blue bus coming. Sighing and forcing a smile, she grabbed her bookbag and tugged on her deep cerulean cape.

"Bye, Kristy. Have a nice time at Bloor's. See you over the weekend," her parents said with proud smiles, and hugged her goodbye.

"Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad. See you soon," Kristy said, faking a cheery tone. "I'll be going." With that, she walked out the door, a fake smile still plastered to her face. 'I wonder if I'm going to make any friends at the Academy,' she thought. 'Probably not. They'll all think I'm this weird girl with stupid powers that nobody really cares about.' With every sad step she took, the beautiful green grass withered.

Finally, she got onto the bright blue bus. There were no empty seats left, except the spot next to a pale, thin boy with mousy brown hair.

"Is it all right if I sit here?" she asked politely. Her parents had reminded her to be polite to everyone.

"Sure," the boy said with a nod. "I'm Gabriel Silk. You must be the new girl."

Kristy nodded. "Kristy Twirl. Pleasure meeting you." She sat down and laid her flute case on her lap.

Just as they arrived at Filbert Street, a tall boy about ten or eleven stepped on. A boy with bright brown hair and eyes almost the same color skipped up to him to say hi.

"Charlie! Fidelio! Over here!" Gabriel beckoned the two boys to the seats in front of them. Kristy waved shyly. Fidelio gave Gabriel a curious look as Charlie looked into Kristy's bright green eyes, as if he were trying to read her mind. "This is Kristy Twirl. She's new at Bloor's. Endowed."

"Hey, Kristy. I'm Fidelio Gunn and my friend here is Charlie Bone," the boy with the bright brown hair said.

"It's nice to meet you both," Kristy said with a smile and a sparkle of her green eyes.

"So, you're endowed? That makes thirteen of us, if you count Bindi and Dorcas," Charlie said with a grin. "What's your, you know, talent?"

Before Kristy could answer, the bus skidded to a stop. The four could see a large gray stone building five stories high. The windows were dark rectangles of reflecting glass, and you couldn't see what was inside. Charlie shuddered as he saw the place, as did Gabriel and Fidelio.

"C'mon, guys. It can't be that bad, can it?" Kristy asked them jokingly, but fear etched in her voice.

"No, I guess you're right. Come on, Kristy. I'm your guide, remember?" Gabriel said with a forced smile.

"Oh yeah!" she said, smacking herself on the head. "I should have listened to Mom when she said you were going to be my guide around the academy," she mumbled. Fidelio chuckled.

"We'll see you guys at the assembly!" Charlie said to Gabriel and Kristy as the two walked away. Gabriel nodded and Kristy smiled. Charlie noticed that every step Kristy took on the brownish, dead grass, it became young and green again. "Strange," he muttered to himself.

"What's strange?" Fidelio asked, a puzzled look on his face. Before Charlie could say anything, a purple-haired girl with purple high-heels and a purple cape attacked them.

"Olivia!" Charlie and Fidelio cried.

"Hey, Chazz. Hey, Fido," Olivia Vertigo greeted them brightly.

"What's with the Chazz?" Charlie asked her, a grin forming on his lips.

"Ya know, like Fido. Charlie's a big mouthful and Chazz is cool!" Olivia said with a cheeky grin as Fidelio and Charlie burst out in laughter.

"Charles Bone! Fidelio Gunn! Olivia Vertigo! You'd better hurry up or I'll give you detention!" a tall boy with ginger red hair threatened them.

"All right, Asa. We were just about to go, anyway," Fidelio said to Asa Pike with a sneer. Asa just laughed coldly.

The three went into the cold stone walls of the academy and through the paved courtyard. They went up the flight of steps and found the familiar massive bronze-studded doors wide open for them. Olivia waved merrily and disappeared through a door under two masks, as the children with the green capes went through the door under the crossing pencil and paintbrush to the art department. Quickly, Charlie and Fidelio followed the students with the bright sapphire capes through the door under the two trumpets. They first went to the blue coatroom, then to the assembly room.

"Hi, Charlie! Hey, Fidelio!" Kristy greeted them. She was holding a shining silver flute and standing right next to Gabriel.

"Hi, Kristy!" the two of them said. "Hey, Gabriel." Gabriel grinned at them as Billy Raven entered the room.

"Move over, Bone. I said MOVE OVER, Gunn," he said irritably. Kristy gave him an unpleasant look. "So you're the new girl, huh?" Billy said to her rudely.

"If you haven't noticed," Kristy said. "Kristy Twirl. Who're you?"

"Billy Raven. A piece of advice: Stay away from Bone and Gunn. They're always making trouble," Billy said, motioning to Charlie and Fidelio.

"It's not your business who I make friends with, Billy Raven," she said coolly. "So shove off and get a life." Billy frowned and went back to facing Dr. Saltweather.

"He's a spy," Gabriel whispered to Kristy. "He used to be nice, but somebody's making him be cruel to people and pry into their businesses. Especially Charlie's." Kristy nodded as she stuck her tongue out at Billy. Fidelio snickered.

"Shut up," Billy said to Fidelio clearly.

"No," Fidelio answered with a wide grin. "I don't think so."

Before Billy could answer, Dr. Saltweather started conducting. They quickly started playing. It didn't last a long time, thank goodness, for the clarinets had been squeaky and creaky. It hadn't been a pretty sound. When assembly was over, Fidelio hurried off to Miss Chrystal (Strings), Gabriel to Mr. Pilgrim (Piano), and Charlie and Kristy sluggishly walked to Mr. Paltry (Winds).

"Mr. Paltry doesn't like endowed children much," Charlie whispered to Kristy when the teacher was out of earshot. "He thinks our talents are useless and no one needs them."

"Well, I'm beginning to think he's right," Kristy muttered. "I'm useless, pathetic, and no one needs me, just like my endowment."

"No you're not. By the way, you never told me what your endowment was. I can listen to pictures. How about you, Kristy?" Charlie asked her quietly.

"I can do anything with plants. But sometimes, even when I don't mean to do anything, like, for instance, when I'm depressed, all the grass and trees around me start to wither and die. It's very strange, and I don't like it at all. All the poor things die just because I'm feeling sad," Kristy said miserably. Charlie nodded.

Soon the amazingly unproductive class ended and the two rushed to the coatroom to meet Gabriel and Fidelio.

"There you two are!" Fidelio said. "It's probably because Miss Chrystal and Miss Dance let us out early, but you guys are five minutes late! What took you?"

"You know old Mr. Paltry," Charlie grumbled. "He's always complaining about us useless endowed ones and wasting our precious time away."

Fidelio nodded. "Well, c'mon! Let's go to the garden! We always have a run after our first lesson," he explained to Kristy.

They walked down the steps to the bare, dead place that was called the garden. A deep wood surrounded the field and they could see a red wall disappearing into the trees.

"I don't like this place," Kristy said with a shudder. "It's too bare...too plain. I can't go, Charlie."

"Why ever not?" Fidelio asked. "C'mon. It'll be fine." He tugged her arm.

"Fidelio, she can't---"Charlie started to say, but it was too late. Green grass started growing everywhere. Flowers bloomed here and there, and clumps of blueberry bushes grew near the stone walls. The students were in awe. This was what they really called a garden. However, Kristy was moaning in despair.

"Now I've used my endowment," she howled. "The Bloors are going to be after me." Her pine-green eyes were now more bright then ever, fear being the source of this light.

"But you didn't mean to, Kristy," Fidelio said. "I'm sure they'll let you off."

Charlie shook his head. "You don't know the Bloors like the Endowed do, Fidelio. They don't just gulp in excuses like normal people do. They---"

"Charlie, they're coming," Gabriel said. "Kristy---"

"Kristina Alexandra Stephanie Twirl!" a cold, eerie voice shouted.

"It's Manfred," Fidelio said with a gulp. "Kristy..."

"Fidelio Gunn! Gabriel Silk! Charles Bone! Move out of the way!" Asa's voice called. Fidelio, Charlie, and Gabriel had no choice but to do as they were told.

"What did we tell you about using your endowment?" Manfred scolded her as they came near. He made a lunge for Kristy, but vines suddenly appeared from the ground and wrapped themselves around the Head Boy. "LET ME GO! TWIRL!" he screamed, but Kristy shook her head. Charlie and Fidelio laughed. Gabriel tried to make it appear that he was coughing, and not laughing.

"AARRRGGHHHH!" Asa roared, and ran full speed toward the thirteen-year-old girl. A batch of buttercups appeared from nowhere in front of the redheaded boy. He started sneezing and coughing. His eyes turned red and puffy. Obviously, he had allergies.

"Way to go, Kris!" Fidelio said with a grin. Kristy smiled back as she turned around, so she didn't see a furious Dr. Bloor emerge from the building.

"Kristy, watch out!" Gabriel yelled, but the large man had already grabbed ahold of her.

"That teaches you to use your endowment freely, Miss Twirl," Dr. Bloor said nastily. "The rest of you, back inside the building. Mr. Gunn, Mr. Silk, and Mr. Bone, you will go with Manfred and Asa to the Head Boy's room and receive punishment. The boys gulped at the two angry faces of Manfred and Asa. Manfred had gotten down with his father's help, and Asa had ripped the buttercups to shreds.

"Oh, no," Fidelio said miserably.

"Oh, yes," Manfred and Asa said with identical evil grins.


	2. A Plan?

Author's Note: Sorry about Billy's attitude, but I hadn't read Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy then. I know it took me a loooooooooooong time to update, but I was on vacation in Canada. Here's Chapter Two!

**AnimeSplashes26**: Thanks!

**Mark of CTown: **I think that Fidelio and Olivia are the most PERFECT couple! It's so obvious! Thanks for your support, and sorry for not updating!

**Aqua Mage: **I tried to accept anonymous reviews, but every time I do it, my computer won't listen! How strange

**Audi katia: **Maybe there will be a romanceâI haven't decided yet. Don't worry. Kristy will never be a Mary-Sue! There are flaws that you will seeâand they'll be TREMENDOUS! Thanks for the rose!

**V. Kasz: **Thanks for the compliment! I'll read your fics as soon as I can!

"I can't believe it!" Gabriel cried as he and Charlie were making their way to the King's Room. "It's so unfair! Cleaning up the Drama Cafeteria for _four weeks?"_

"That's unheard of," Charlie agreed as his expression turned from frustrated to grim. "And they took Kristy. It's been likeâhow many hours already? They have to let her go sometime."

Gabriel frowned. "They might not, Charlie. You know the Bloors. Remember the time when they took Emma? They planned to keep her locked up forever." The two stepped in the room and were surprised to see a slim girl with perfectly straight auburn hair and pine green eyes.

"_Kristy?" _they said in unison, their mouths agape. Kristy looked quizzically at them. Charlie recognized the dreamy look in her eyes. The same one Emma had had when she had been hypnotized

"Gabriel," Charlie squeaked out solemnly. "She'sâManfred's done it." Gabriel stared at Kristy in horror.

"What's wrong, Gabe? Charlie?" Tancred Torsson asked them, waving. His yellow hair crackled, and his bright blue eyes were smiling. His best friend Lysander Sage was sitting next to him, his black hair flat and his brown eyes filled with warmth.

Gabriel's terrified gaze was fixed upon Kristy, so Charlie whispered to them, "Meet us in the sculpture room at midnight. We'll explain everything there." Tancred and Lysander nodded. They were used to strange things happening at Bloor's, as were the other students, and even the town.

Manfred stood up and cleared his throat. "Bone, Silk, sit down," he commanded. Charlie gritted his teeth and pulled Gabriel to their seats, right across from Kristy.

"We have a new student today," Manfred continued, smirking. His horrible coal-black eyes glittered. "Kristina Twirl, stand up!" Kristy stood up, her face expressionless. "She'll be with us for a very long time, so don't treat her very well." Asa and Zelda snickered. Charlie and Gabriel glared at the three. "Twirl, sit down." Kristy did as she was told. Charlie felt sorry for her. Now there were two people he needed to save: Kristy, and his father.

Charlie sighed. He knew how to get his father back, but would it work for Kristy? He looked at his friend's pine green eyes. The spark of life in them was gone.

"Back to your work, Bone!" Manfred said in a frosty voice. But he was smirking. Charlie grimaced, then opened his English book. He pretended to be writing, but he was actually making plans. _I should ask Uncle Paton about this, _he thought. _He'll know what to do, hopefully. _He was the same for the next hour, but began on his homework on the second.

Gabriel, however, couldn't stop worrying. _It's all my fault, _he thought. _I should have stopped her from going into the garden. And nowâshe's like this. She's only thirteen! _He, himself, was fourteen, like Tancred and Lysander. _I hope Charlie hatches a plan._

Meanwhile, in the French classroom, Fidelio was blaming himself for all the events: Kristy's capture; he, Charlie, and Gabriel's punishment, and the glee of Manfred and Asa. (Remember, he doesn't know about Kristy getting hypnotized yet!) _You dragged her into the garden, you great ugly git, _he told himself, scowling. _And the others had to pay the price, too. _

**In the Boys' Dormitories, about 11:45 **

"I'm sorry, Charlie, Gabriel. It's all my fault! Kristy getting hypnotized, and you guys getting in trouble. I want to come with you," Fidelio whispered to his two friends.

"All right, Fido. But it wasn't your fault," Charlie whispered back. "And we'll solve this problem together, and get Kris back."

"C'mon, you guys. Let's go!" Gabriel said quietly, rising from his bed. "Tanc and Sander like to be early for things."

"Okay, Gabe," Charlie said, nodding. He stood up at the same time as Fidelio, and followed Gabriel out of the dormitory. They tiptoed quietly to the sculpture room to find that Tancred and Lysander, in their warm green capes, were there already.

"Hey," Lysander whispered. "What did you want to talk to us about?" Tancred nodded eagerly.

"You know that new girl, Kristy Twirl?" Gabriel asked them.

"That pretty girl with auburn hair and green eyes?" Tancred asked. Charlie nodded, not noticing that Tancred had called her 'pretty'. He told them all about the incident in the garden, and what they suspected Manfred had done to her.

"I knew there was something strange about her," Lysander whispered. "She has that dreamy look in her eyes, the look Emma had when she was hypnotized."

"Poor Kristy," Tancred said sympathetically. "Manfred almost hypnotized me once, and it was horrible." His yellow hair crackled as he shivered. Gabriel and Fidelio nodded.

"We have to save her," Charlie said suddenly. "I don't know why, since I only got to know her for a little while, but I have this feeling that I have to."

"You always have that feeling, Charlie," Fidelio said, speaking up. "Like with Emma and Henry." His best friend shot him an inquisitive look. "It's a good thing," he added quickly.

"How are we going to save her?" Tancred asked.

"Well, Olivia helped us with Emma," Charlie said, starting to grin.

"Maybe she'll help with Kristy!" Lysander said excitedly.

"But what will we do after that?" Gabriel asked. "I mean, with Emma you had Tolly Twelve Bells, but obviously, you don't know how to reverse it with Kristy."

"We need a plan," Fidelio said calmly.

"And I've got one," Charlie replied simply. "Uncle Paton."

I'm sorry I didn't write as much as the last chapter, but I was running out of ideas! Hopefully, the next chapter will be better!


	3. The Lily of Truth

**audi katia: **Thanks! I wasn't that quick to update, but hearing compliments from you makes me happy! claps hands and jumps up and down I FINALLY got an idea!

**Chaos-Fyre-Elf31: **Yep. winks Their little fling will be a little later, though. After Charlie steals---oops, don't want to give anything away, now do we?

**Aqua Mage: **Thanks for your support! I promise that all your waiting will be worthwhile!

**V. Kasz: **Fidelio and Tancred are the GREATEST! Here's the update!

HIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHI

It was a lovely Saturday morning that Charlie arrived at number nine, Filbert Street. But it was a very unfortunate morning, for his great-aunts Lucretia, Eustacia, and Venetia Yewbeam were there, ready to attack him with questions and warnings.

"Hello, Charlie," Grandma Bone said rather cheerfully, smiling brightly. This was very unusual, because Grizelda Bone was hardly ever smiled or even greeted Charlie with as much as a simple 'Hello'. "Anything new at school?"

"Of course not, Grandma," Charlie said casually, wanting to get to his Uncle Paton's room as soon as possible.

"Don't lie to us, boy," Aunt Lucretia snarled. She was the matron of Bloor's Academy, and knew everything that was going on. This, Charlie thought, was a disadvantage.

"Yes, Charlie," Aunt Venetia cooed. "We don't want anything to happen to you, that's all. We're all worried." Charlie snorted. The day his grandmother and great-aunts were going to be worried about his health was the day Manfred Bloor got married to Emma Tolly.

"Don't snort, Charlie," Aunt Eustacia snapped. "Very bad manners. We're telling the truth, darling, dear boy." She smiled in what she probably thought was a motherly, sweet way. To Charlie, she looked like an oversized bullfrog.

"We're wasting time, Eustacia," Grandma Bone barked.

"Charlie, tell us about the girl," Aunt Venetia said to him, smiling encouragingly.

"What girl?" Charlie asked, trying his best to look confused.

"You know perfectly what we mean, Charles," Grandma Bone said. "That drip Gabriel's little girlfriend. The Twirl girl. Nasty child."

"The one who used her endowment," Lucretia added.

"The one who got locked up," Eustacia said.

"The one who got hypnotized," Venetia said gleefully, her eyes unusually round and bright.

"You don't know how it feels!" Charlie burst against his will. "You don't know how it feels to be hypnotized! Stop making fun of Kristy!"

"So you _are _friends with her," Eustacia said triumphantly.

"A word of advice," Venetia said.

"Stay away from her," Lucretia said.

"Stay away from Kristina Twirl, Charlie," Grandma Bone warned, shaking a finger.

"Or you'll end up just like your dear, dead father, Charlie," Eustacia whispered, a smile tugging at her thin lips.

"He's not dead," Charlie said, his jaw tightening. "He's alive, and you know it! Manfred hypnotized him!"

"Don't lie, Charlie," Venetia said sweetly. "It can become a habit. Your father is dead. He's gone, and there's nothing you can do about it. About his being hypnotized, that's quite an imagination you have there."

Charlie restrained himself from trying to strangle his great-aunt. _You have to get to Uncle Paton, remember? _he thought. "I'm going," he said finally. He marched up the steps when he heard a cry.

"Charlie, no! We're not done yet!" Aunt Eustacia called in her loud, scratchy voice. "Come back!"

Charlie just ignored her and came to Paton's door. He didn't bother to knock, because Paton would probably know it was him, from all the screams of 'Charlie!' from the great-aunts. He opened the door and slammed it behind him.

"Lock it, Charlie," Paton grumbled. "I don't want my sisters marching up in here." Charlie obeyed. "Sit down...er, wherever there's space."

Charlie looked around. Paper, paper everywhere. After moments of searching, he found a chair that was not fully covered with stacks of paper.

"Now what is it?" Paton asked, looking up from his work. He turned his chair around to face Charlie. A ripping noise could be heard. Paton groaned.

"Well, Uncle Paton," Charlie began. "There's this girl."

Paton raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, _a girl?_ Are you asking me advice on your love life?" he asked, trying to stifle a laugh.

"No! Of course not, Uncle!" Charlie exclaimed, going red.

"Then what?" Paton asked, more seriously this time.

"Well, her name's Kristy Twirl," Charlie went on. He told his great-uncle all about Kristy and what happened to her.

"Hmm..." Paton said, trying to remember something. The lightbulb clicked on. "Is Kristy short for Kristina? Kristina Twirl?"

Charlie was surprised. "Yes," he answered. "Why? Do you know her?"

Paton nodded slowly. "Yes. I remember her. Pretty little girl she was. Smart, too," he said, chuckling. "Her parents were good friends of your father. Your mother never really knew them, since she had to move away before she could get acquainted with the Twirls. Before you and Kristina could meet each other." Charlie opened his mouth to say something, but Paton raised his hand. "Don't interrupt, Charlie. Well, Thelxiepia and Kevin Twirl were there when it happened. You know, when Emma Tolly was kidnapped, and your father was, um, you know."

Charlie was flabbergasted. "Really?" he managed to choke out. Paton nodded.

"Kristina's mother told me that an organist had been attacked," Paton said. "I didn't know that it was your father then. When I asked her who it was, she said she didn't know."

"But you said that she was a good friend of Dad's," Charlie interrupted. "She should have recognized him." Paton shook his head solemnly.

"She was too far away," he said sadly. "She might have been able to stop it if she had turned around earlier. But," he sighed, "that's life."

"Now about Kristy," Charlie said a moment later.

"Kristina?" Paton asked. "The hypnotized girl?"

"Yes," Charlie replied. "Is there a cure for hypnotism?"

Paton thought. There was a silence. "Hmm..." he said. "I'll have to check on that. I know there's a cure, but I don't know what it is. Let's go to Ingledew's Bookshop tomorrow, Charlie. Something's bound to be there."

"And Kristy isn't the only reason you want to go there, is it, Uncle?" Charlie asked, grinning. Paton's ears grew pink.

"Never mind that," he said sheepishly. Charlie laughed.

"It's okay, Uncle," Charlie said. "It's a good excuse for visiting Miss Ingledew. It's a good idea, anyway. I might need Emma to help us save Kristy." Paton chuckled.

"Why don't we just go now?" Charlie asked. "The aunts are sure to be gone."

"Go check," Paton told him. "You never know."

"All right," Charlie said cheerfully. He opened the door carelessly and stomped down the steps. The coast was clear. "Uncle, it's---"

"Gotcha!" Aunt Venetia said triumphantly, grabbing hold of Charlie. She put a hand over his mouth and made a face. "Stop spitting, dear Charlie. You don't want anything to happen, now, do you?" Charlie stopped wriggling. "Good boy. Now if you'll---"Paton showed up at the steps.

"What's going on?" Paton asked when he got to the bottom. "Venetia, let go of Charlie. NOW!" Venetia obeyed reluctantly. "Are you okay, Charlie?" Charlie nodded, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

Paton sent a death glare at his older sister. "Leave Charlie alone in the future, Venetia, or you never know what will happen," he warned, looking at the lightbulb above them. Venetia fidgeted, then moved out of the way. "Now if you don't mind, we're going out."

"Thanks, Uncle Paton," Charlie said as soon as they were outside. "I owe you one."

"You're welcome, Charlie," Paton said happily as they stepped onto Cathedral Close. "Ah...there's Ingledew's Bookshop. Come on." The two made their way into the bookshop.

"How may I help---"Julia Ingledew started to say, but smiled as she saw Paton and Charlie. "Hello, Charlie. Good morning, Paton. Come in."

"Hello, Julia," Paton said, smiling contently as Charlie said, "Good morning, Miss Ingledew."

"Charlie? Is that you?" a soft voice came from the back of the shop. A girl with wavy blonde hair and dreamy blue eyes appeared.

"Emma! Hi!" Charlie said, waving at his friend. Emma grinned at him.

"Hi," she said back. "Good to see you, Mr. Yewbeam."

"Miss Ingledew, we're looking for a cure for hypnotism," Charlie said. "Is there any book about that?"

"A cure for hypnotism?" Miss Ingledew asked. "Hmm...let me see." She went through a stack of papers. "Ah! You might find something in _1000 Magical Plant Cures_. Most things are cured by plants, so I don't think hypnotism is any different."

"I'll go look," Charlie said hastily. "Uncle, you can stay here." Paton gave him a grateful smile.

"Want me to help, Charlie?" Emma asked.

"Sure. I'll explain why I need it while we're looking for the book," Charlie replied, smiling. "After all, you can fly, and that could come in handy." Emma beamed.

While the two searched for the book, Charlie told Emma all about Kristy, and his plan to cure her.

"Oh, poor Kristy," Emma said. "Imagine, they hypnotized her only because she used her endowment for one little tiny thing. It's horrible."

"I have a feeling the Bloors got her for something more than that," Charlie mumbled. "I've used my endowment loads of times, and they didn't lock me up or hypnotize me."

"You're probably right, Charlie," Emma said solemnly. "You always are."

"Th---aha! I found it!" Charlie exclaimed as he held up a thick book with a leather cover. "_1000 Magical Plant Cures_. Come on!" The two raced through the bookshop to Paton and Miss Ingledew.

"We found it, Uncle!" Charlie said. "Now for the cure." He flipped through the pages until he came to the section H. "For hypnotism." He went to the last page of the H section and looked up excitedly.

Emma took the book, smiling, and read, _"Veritas Lily._"

"The lily of truth," Miss Ingledew said. "The ancient flower. It's very rare." She took the book gently from her niece's hands and pointed a finger at the picture. "It's a pure white flower with a purple stem and blue leaves." She looked at Paton. "Do you know where it grows?"

"There's one place I know," Paton answered soberly. "And it's probably the only place in the world."

"Where is it?" Emma and Charlie asked in unison.

Paton hesitated, then sighed. "15 Darkly Wynd," he said. "My sisters' wretched neighbor Tristan Ghost lives there." He shivered. "She's a nasty piece of work. On the outside, she just looks like a normal thirty-year-old lady, but she's horrible. If she finds a trespasser on her property, she'll probably try to shoot him. Or her."

Charlie gulped, then regained his courage. "But we have to save Kristy," he said firmly. Emma nodded.

"It's your saving-people thing," she said, grinning. Charlie laughed.

"That's what Fidelio said," he said.

"Auntie, can we use the telephone?" Emma asked. "I think Charlie wants to make calls."

Miss Ingledew smiled. "All right," she said warmly. "Go on ahead."

"We'll watch," Paton added. "Go on, Charlie."

Charlie started dialing numbers.


	4. 15 Darkly Wynd

Disclaimer: JENNY NIMMO OWNS CHARLIE BONE! You don't need to be told that I'm not Jenny Nimmo. This goes for ALL the chapters!

Author's Note: Hope this one turns out good...

"Charlie, it's time for you to go!" Amy Bone called from the kitchen. "The bus is here!"

Charlie stomped down the stairs with his things. "Bye, Mum," he said, kissing his mother's cheek. "I'll see you on Saturday, hopefully, if the Bloors don't give me detention."

"Bye, Charlie! Try to have a good time!" Maisie called with a wave. "Don't let those horrible people get to you, dearie!" Charlie grinned and smiled at his favorite grandmother.

"See you, Maisie!" he said with a wave as he went out the door. Charlie could see the blue bus up ahead. Fidelio's shiny head was visible through a window. He ran into the bus and took a seat next to Fidelio. Gabriel was sitting behind them, looking soberly at Kristy, who was sitting in the seat across from him.

"Hi, Fidelio," Charlie greeted his best friend. "Hey, Gabriel." Gabriel smiled brilliantly at him and waved.

"So when are we going to Darkly Wynd again?" Fidelio whispered into Charlie's ear so that they couldn't be overheard.

"Sunday at Pet's Café. 11:00. Tancred, Lysander, Emma, Olivia, Gabriel, you, and me are going to be there," Charlie answered, content. Fidelio and Gabriel nodded, looking at Kristy mournfully.

"Don't worry, Kris," Charlie said to her inaudibly. "We'll save you. I know we can, and we will." The bright pine green eyes that had been so lively and exquisite were dull and blank.

The bus skidded to a stop. The three friends once again saw the dreaded old walls of Bloor's Academy. Kristy hardly seemed to notice that they had arrived. In fact, she hardly seemed to know where she was and what she was doing there.

"All my fault, all my fault," Fidelio kept muttering to himself. Gabriel looked at the younger boy sympathetically.

"It's not entirely your fault, Fidelio," he said kindly. "Besides, you're going to help cure Kristy, so it won't matter." He smiled at him. Fidelio relaxed a bit.

"Thanks, Gabe," he said gratefully, grinning.

"Move over," Billy Raven told them nastily. "Hurry up. I haven't got forever." Charlie noticed that he was pulling on Kristy's arm. He had the distinct feeling that the effect Manfred's eyes had on her was strong, and that she couldn't do anything by herself.

"What's all the hurry, Billy?" Gabriel asked, frowning. "We've got all the time in the world." He stepped out of the bus quickly, anyway.

Ignoring Gabriel, Billy hurried off to the school, following the blue, green, and violet capes. Fidelio spotted two familiar heads, one yellow and the other black. "Tancred! Lysander! Over here!" Charlie called. The two turned around, grinned, then headed toward them.

"Hey," Lysander said cheerfully. "I'm glad you've found a cure. Where's it again? Darkly Wynd?"

Charlie nodded. "15 Darkly Wynd," he said. "But we're going to meet at Pet's Café on Sunday at 11:00 to discuss everything."

"Sure hope we can cure her," Tancred said, worried. Charlie found this a bit odd, for Tancred had not known Kristy until she got hypnotized and they had told him about her. He just shrugged, then smiled.

"So do I," Fidelio said.

"Me too," Charlie, Gabriel, and Lysander said at the same time.

"Bone! Silk! Sage! Gunn! Torsson!" Asa shouted. "How many times do I have to tell you? HURRY UP!"

"Someone's in a bad mood today," Lysander mumbled. Tancred grinned.

"C'mon. Let's go before we get detention," Fidelio said. The others agreed and ran toward the gloomy academy.

The five made their way through the bronze-studded doors. Tancred and Lysander grinned at Gabriel, Charlie, and Fidelio before disappearing under the door under the crossing pencil and paintbrush. The three music students waved and walked into the door under the two trumpets.

"C'mon. Let's go," Gabriel said quickly, taking long strides as he exited the blue coatroom. His eyes were shifting around. Charlie found this very queer, but Fidelio understood.

"You don't want to see Kris, do you?" Fidelio asked sadly. Gabriel nodded hesitantly. "I know how you feel, Gabe. It's so horrible."

"You know what's weird?" Charlie asked. "We only got to know her for like, what? Less than an hour? And now we're all worried about her."

"I think the only reason we're really worried about her being is because we know she's a kindred spirit," Fidelio said simply. "You seem to find everything strange today, Charlie."

"Fido, right now, I'm finding _you _strange. Kindred spirits? I think Olivia's getting to you," Charlie said, grinning. Olivia was performing in _Anne of Green Gables. _She was the star, Anne Shirley. Gabriel laughed. Fidelio couldn't help but grin.

"Well, I _did _go to her house on Saturday," he said, his ears growing pink.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "And what, exactly, were you doing there?" he asked. Charlie tried to suppress a laugh.

"Um, er, I was helping her practice for the play," Fidelio answered, blushing. His ears were a nice crimson.

"Right," Charlie replied, smirking as they entered the assembly room.

"Did I just hear what I just heard?" Billy Raven asked, smiling smugly. "Fidelio Gunn's got a girlfriend?" Fidelio grew even redder, if that was possible.

"She's not my girlfriend," he said inaudibly.

"Oh, I'm very sure," Billy said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "_Very _sure." He went to his usual spot with his clarinet. Charlie unwillingly went to stand next to him, glaring daggers at Billy.

Dr. Saltweather smiled grimly and conducted the orchestra. Charlie almost went deaf with all the squeaking that was coming from Billy. After that horrible experience, he dizzily wandered into Mr. Paltry's room for his lesson. Unfortunately, Kristy was there, too, like before. It seemed that the cranky teacher had a full schedule, and had put her with him.

The lesson, needless to say, was terrible. Old Mr. Paltry complained about everything Charlie did. No matter how much he tried, Charlie managed to get criticized every minute of the lesson.

"Off with you, Bone!" Mr. Paltry said, glad to get rid of him. "I've got better things to do. It's impossible teaching Charles Bone to play the trumpet." Charlie rolled his eyes at the remark. It was getting old.

A few hours later, the Endowed were sitting in the King's Room, doing their homework. Gabriel tried hard to ignore Kristy's presence. Everybody did. It was so painful looking into those dull, empty green eyes. When it was time to go, six of them were glad.

When Gabriel, Fidelio, and Charlie arrived at the Boys' Dormitories and changed into their pajamas, Gabriel started tossing around in his sleep. Damian Smerk threw a boot at him, but he wouldn't stop. Charlie was worried. This was just like the time his older friend had Dorothy De Vere's glove. Fidelio was the one who rescued them by shaking Gabriel awake.

"Gabe, you okay?" Fidelio asked, looking into his friend's fearful brown eyes. Gabriel trembled and nodded.

"Y—yes," Gabriel said shakily. "It—it's jus—just tha—at . . ."

"It's okay, Gabriel. We're going to save Kast soon, remember?" Charlie said, patting Gabriel's shoulder. Kast was a name they gave Kristy, because her full name was Kristina Alexandra Stephanie Twirl. The initials: K. A. S. T. Kast.

Gabriel relaxed slowly, and nodded. "Okay, Charlie," he said, regaining his usual confident voice. "I just hope we're not too late," he whispered.

"We won't be, Gabe. We won't be," Fidelio told him softly. But Charlie wondered.

Sunday, 11:00 a.m. 

**Pet's Café**

Charlie entered the café to find that Norman, the bouncer, was waiting for him.

"Right this way. Your friend there is taking care of your pet for you," he said. The usual words. Charlie thanked him and took the gerbil from Gabriel.

Olivia had a rabbit in her lap. Fidelio had its mate. Emma had a very colorful parrot perched on her shoulder. Tancred was holding Fidelio's deaf cat. Lysander was holding one of Gabriel's gerbils, and Gabriel himself was taking care of three.

"So, Charlie, when are we going to go steal this 'Lily of Truth' thingy?" Olivia asked eagerly.

"Er, well," Charlie began. He had never really thought of when they were going to steal it. "How about today?" he suggested. Fidelio's eyes were bugging out.

"Chazz, are you nuts?" he said, bewildered. Olivia beamed at him for using her nickname for Charlie. "But we haven't prepared for it!"

"So? I think it'll work out fine," Tancred argued. "Besides, the sooner the better, right? I mean, you can't keep Kristy waiting forever!"

"Ooh. I think somebody's got a crush on Kristy," Emma teased, grinning. Tancred grew pink. A gust of wind tangled Olivia's hair.

"Who's got a crush on Kristy?" Fidelio asked cluelessly, staring at Olivia's tangled hair.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Fido, isn't it obvious? It's Tancred!" she said, trying to untangle her hair.

"And it looks like Tanc's not the only one who has a crush on someone," Lysander said, grinning in the same way as Emma.

"Shut up," Fidelio said, turning beet red. Olivia's eyes twinkled in amusement.

"We're not here to talk about who has a crush on who," Gabriel interrupted. "We're here to devise a plan to steal the plant from that Ghost woman."

"Then c'mon. Let's go!" Charlie said, standing up. Fidelio stared at him.

"You serious, mate?" he asked. "_Now?_"

"Fidelio, you're acting strange," Olivia commented. "Before, you couldn't wait to have an adventure, and now . . . now you're really reluctant to having some excitement. I liked the old Fido better." At this, Fidelio grinned.

"Okie-dokie," he said, bolting up. "Let's go, people!" Lysander stared at him in wonder.

"Something's wrong with you, mate," he observed. "Olivia has a powerful impact on you." Fidelio's ears grew pink.

"Stop teasing me," he mumbled.

"Aren't we supposed to be going now?" Emma asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah. C'mon! Hurry up!" Tancred said. They all got up quickly and left, waving to Norton.

"Wait," Olivia said just as they were outside. Charlie turned to her. "Where is this Darkly Wynd anyway?"

"Er . . ." Charlie stuttered. "Well, now, I dunno." Olivia laughed.

"You sound like Matthew Cuthbert from _Anne of Green Gables,"_ she said. Charlie grinned.

"Well, now, I guess I do!" he exclaimed. Olivia burst out in laughter.

"Oh, come on, Chazz. We have to be going now, remember?" Fidelio said, frankly annoyed that Charlie was getting all of Olivia's attention.

"Ooh! Is someone jealous of Ickle Charliekins?" Lysander joked. Fidelio grew red.

"This is really weird," Gabriel said. "Fidelio's always red, Charlie's always rolling his eyes, Lysander is for once, not good natured, and no one seems to care about 15 Darkly Wynd or Kristy." At this, everyone straightened up.

"Of _course _we care about Kristy!" Charlie said, looking mildly offended.

"How could we _not _care about her?" Tancred demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I was just saying," came Gabriel's innocent reply. He held up his hands defensively.

"Oh, come on! Can we go now?" Emma asked exasperatedly.

"YES!" all of them shouted.

"But first, directions," Charlie added. "Let's ask that lady at the newspaper stand."

"Oh, hello, darlings. Anything I can help you with, dearies?" the lady at the newspaper stand asked.

"Um, can you tell us where Darkly Wynd is?" Tancred asked awkwardly.

"Darkly Wynd?" the woman asked. She looked mildly surprised. "Why, it's no place for children."

"But I have relations there. Great-aunts, to be exact," Charlie said.

"Ah, well," she said with a sigh. She gave them the directions.

"Thank you," Emma called politely behind them as they left. The woman waved back.

A few minutes later, they were at Darkly Wynd. It was a gloomy, dark place with a chilling, mysterious aura about it.

"I really don't like this place," Olivia said, shivering.

"Neither do I," Fidelio and Gabriel agreed.

"Come on. As Tanc said, the sooner the better," Lysander urged. The seven children walked through the empty, dark streets.

"I can see why this place is called Darkly Wynd," Charlie commented.

"I think we've found the place," Tancred said quietly. The other six turned to look at a huge, foreboding house. On the plain, mysterious door, the number 15 was visible.

"This is definitely scary," Emma squealed.

"There's the garden door," Lysander said, pointing to a light gray wooden door with a lock sealing it.

"All right. So who's going to come and who's going to keep watch?" Charlie asked softly.

Olivia, Tancred, Lysander and Gabriel wanted to come. Fidelio and Emma were up for the watch. Charlie, of course, went with the garden group.

The five leaped over the door and landed on soft, green grass. They looked around in wonder. Tristan Ghost may be a frightening woman, but she sure knew how to garden.

"It's beautiful," Olivia breathed.

"We don't have all day, Olivia," Gabriel whispered. "That Ghost woman might come here any minute." Olivia nodded.

Tancred, Lysander, Gabriel, Olivia, and Charlie searched quite some time. An hour, to be exact.

"I'm tired," Olivia complained. "Are we ever going to find this Lily of Truth?"

"Probably no---"Tancred was saying. Then his eyes grew wide. "There it is!" he exclaimed, pointing to the corner of the garden. They saw it. A pure white flower with a purple stem and blue leaves. The _Veritas Lily!_

"Tancred, quietly go get it," Lysander commanded. "You're the quickest and the quietest of this crowd." Tancred grinned and obeyed. He stepped closer and closer to the Lily of Truth. He plucked it from the ground, roots included.

"Stop right there!"

Author's Note: Heehee. Sorry for the cliffie. But it creates so much suspense. I couldn't resist! R & R!


	5. A Reunion

Author's Note: CLIFFIES STINK! I'm never writing another one again! Even _I _want to know what happens, and I'm writing the story! But there might be an exception, I dunno! --

Author's Note 2: Tristan Ghost is a little weird, but I felt like she was always jealous of her little sister, but inside she loved her and her daughter. It's really . . . strange.

Tancred froze. Charlie ducked. Olivia fainted. All the color drained from Lysander's face. Gabriel whimpered. They all turned to see a middle-aged woman with wavy auburn hair and bright green eyes. She would have been good-looking if it weren't for the nasty expression on her face. The woman was holding a gun.

"It's her," Charlie croaked.

"What are you trespassers doing in my garden?" the scary woman asked menacingly. She had a very scratchy voice.

"Er . . ." Gabriel began. "We were just . . ."

"Trying to save my niece, are you?" Tristan Ghost said, grinning wickedly.

"Your _what?" _Tancred exclaimed, taken aback.

"My niece," Tristan replied simply. "Kristina Alexandra Stephanie Twirl." Olivia woke up from the faint.

"Kristy can't be your niece! Her name's Twirl!" Charlie contradicted. But there was no denying the resemblance between Kristy and the woman standing before them. The same auburn hair, the same lively green eyes. Well, before Kristy got hypnotized, anyway. Tristan smirked maliciously.

"Of course it is, you stupid boy," she said. "But I come from her mother's side, little twit." She grimaced. "Yes, my perfect little sister Thelxiepia Twirl. The one with no special powers. She had musical talent, but that was that. While _I _was the one who could work with plants, _she _got all the attention. Perfect, angelic little Thelxie. No one paid any attention to her stupid, klutzy elder sister Tristan. But they all paid the price . . . oh, yes. And now my little niece Kristina has _my _talent. She doesn't even know I _exist. _Thelxiepia was afraid of her catching my habits. She _knows _I wouldn't do anything to her. Annoying little sisters . . ." She started talking to herself.

"This is our chance," Olivia whispered to Charlie. "RUN!" The five ran like lightning. Tancred blasted the door away and they made their escape. Tristan Ghost wasn't even chasing after them. She was looking sadly at the flower.

"Good luck, young ones!" she called. Charlie was bewildered. Lysander had a smile playing on his lips.

"I knew she was nice," he said softly. "She wouldn't try to harm her sister or her niece. For such a cruel-looking woman, she _does _have a heart."

Gabriel grew worried. "But Sander, what if that was a trick? It was so easy . . ." he said worriedly.

Emma shrugged as she smiled. "Kristy's auntie wouldn't harm her own niece. Especially if she's never seen her. Believe me, _I _know." She said knowledgably.

"Now, what do we do with this 'Lily of Truth'?" Tancred asked, taking the beautiful flower out of his pocket.

"Let's get it to my house," Gabriel suggested. "It'll be safe there." The others agreed.

"And we'll give it to Kristy," Gabriel said happily. "Then everything will be all right."

"Hopefully," Charlie added.

"Definitely," Fidelio and Olivia said in unison. Lysander grinned.

The seven walked to Gabriel's house, where Mrs. Silk was waiting for them.

"Hey, Mom!" Gabriel said to his mother. "We need a place to put this." He showed his mother the _Veritas Lily. _

"Hmm . . . is that the Lily of Truth?" she asked curiously, taking the pure white flower.

"Yes, ma'am," Lysander said politely.

"Who are you going to cure, Gabriel?" Mrs. Silk asked her son. "This _is _the cure for hypnotism, after all."

"There's this girl at school," Tancred began. He told her the story of Kristy Twirl.

"Oh, my," Gabriel's mother gasped. "Those cruel Bloors . . . are you sure you're okay with going to that school, dearies?" The children nodded.

"After all, it _is _exciting," Olivia said.

"A bit _too _exciting, if you'd ask me," Charlie remarked, grinning. Mrs. Silk smiled and put the flower in a flowerpot and watered it.

"What are you supposed to do to cure this Kristy-girl, anyway?" she asked.

"If I remember correctly, we're supposed to put some of the petals in a glass of water, add a pinch each of sugar and cinnamon, and stir. Then we take the petals out gently and give it to the hypnotized person," Emma said thoughtfully.

"Then we'll do that," Tancred said determinedly. He carefully plucked some petals from the Lily of Truth and got a bottle of water. He dropped them in.

"Here's the cinnamon and sugar," Gabriel told him helpfully, getting his friend the spices.

"Thanks, Gabe," Tancred replied. He took one pinch of each, and mixed it with a toothpick. The water turned the most beautiful pale lilac.

"Would today be all right?" Olivia asked. "It'll be easy to do it at her house instead of Bloor's."

"The sooner the better," the six other children said in unison. Mrs. Silk laughed.

"What would we grownups do without children?" she said softly, gazing around the room at the bright, shining faces.

"C'mon, Emma. You said you wanted to come, too," Olivia said to her friend. Emma nodded.

"To Kristy's house!" the two declared.

"Bye, Livia. Bye, Em," Charlie said with a wave as they walked out the door.

"We'll be waiting," Tancred and Fidelio said seriously.

Twirl Household: 55 Storm Street 

Emma rang the doorbell three times. A beautiful woman with dark auburn hair and bright green eyes answered the door.

"Yes?" she asked them.

"We're friends of Kristy from school," Olivia said. "Can we play?"

Mrs. Twirl smiled. "Come right in," she invited them. Emma and Olivia grinned, and stepped into the house. "Don't mind Kristy's strange behavior. She's always been such a cheerful, lively girl, but now she's all quiet and mysterious," Kristy's mother said, her eyes filled with worry.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Twirl," Emma said, patting the woman's shoulder. "Maybe we can help." Mrs. Twirl smiled.

"I hope you can," she replied. "By the way, your names?"

"I'm Olivia Vertigo and this is Emma Tolly," Olivia answered.

"Well, hello, Olivia and Emma," Mrs. Twirl said. Then she turned to the stairs. "Kristi—na! Some friends are here to see you!" she called.

A few seconds later, a younger version of Mrs. Twirl appeared, walking soundlessly down the stairs. "Yes, Mother?" she asked in an emotionless voice. Emma noticed that her eyes were blank, too, just like her voice. Her heart ached.

"Your friends, Kristy," Mrs. Twirl said to her daughter. "They've come to play. Take them up to your room." Kristy obeyed.

"Come on," she said softly to the two other girls. They walked up the steps, turned once, and went through a door curtain to a rather exciting room. "So what are your names again?" Kristy asked.

"Emma Tolly and Olivia Vertigo," Emma replied. "We're here to wake you up."

"I'm not awake?" Kristy asked, puzzled.

"That's exactly what Em said when _she _was hypnotized," Olivia said. She took out the water bottle from a bag that she almost always carried around with her.

"Drink this," Emma said, handing the bottle to Kristy.

"Are you trying to poison me?" Kristy questioned, looking at the pale lilac color of the drink.

"No! Of course not, Kristy! We wouldn't ever harm you," Emma said in a comforting voice. Kristy believed her because of her soft, pleading voice.

"Okay. Here goes nothing," she said, then drank the liquid. She drenched all of it. The color came back to her pale cheeks. The spark of life that had been removed from her eyes was back again.

"Where—where am I?" she asked, looking around. This time, her voice was cool, calm, and clear.

"She's back!" Olivia cried, hugging her.

"Kristy!" Emma said gleefully. She threw her arms around the confused green-eyed girl.

"Wait. I know you two. Emma Tolly and Olivia Vertigo, right? Charlie's friends?" Kristy asked, grinning.

"Yep!" Olivia said happily. "Oh, you've _got _to go to Gabriel's house. Everyone's waiting for you there!"

"Really?" Kristy asked joyously. "Well, c'mon! The sooner the better!" Emma and Olivia laughed.

"She sounds like you," Emma said to Olivia as they walked to Gabriel's house. Kristy rang the doorbell.

Gabriel answered it eagerly. When he saw Kristy with the lively green eyes, his eyes filled with joyful tears. "Kris!" he cried, and hugged her.

"Gabe, you're choking me," Kristy said, but obviously pleased.

"Oops. Sorry," Gabriel said, blushing.

"Come on, Gabe! Let us through!" Charlie and Fidelio shouted.

"Why don't we just go in?" Emma asked. Gabriel let them into the kitchen. Mrs. Silk had gone to the supermarket.

"Kristy!" Fidelio and Charlie cried, and tackled her with hugs.

"Aahhhh! Not again!" Kristy cried, squashed between the two tall boys. Fidelio and Charlie let go. "Now introduce me to the others," she demanded.

"Okay, okay," Charlie said, chuckling. "This is Lysander. He didn't do anything, much." Lysander punched him on the shoulder lightly, grinning. He shook hands with Kristy.

"And this is Tancred," Emma said with a grin. "He's the one who stole the flower and made the mixture that you drank. Oh, and he's got a major crush on you." Tancred's face grew red. Kristy grinned and tackled him with a hug.

"Whoa," Tancred said, his ears pink. "Now _you're _suffocating _me."_ The others laughed.

"Well, she owes you, Tanc," Lysander said to his best friend. "After all, you _were _the one who stole the lily from her aunt's garden."

"I have an aunt?" Kristy asked, perplexed.

"Yes, but you've never met her," Gabriel said sadly. "She lives at 15 Darkly Wynd, and she's your mother's sister. Her name's Tristan Ghost, and she's jealous of your mother _a lot. _Your mother never took you to see her because she thought that Tristan would do bad things to you because she was so awfully jealous of her. Tristan really wanted to see you, though, so she allowed us to steal the _Veritas Lily._"

"Then I want to go see her," Kristy declared. "Now!"

"That's the Kristy we all know and love," Fidelio said, grinning.

"Hey!" Olivia said, grinning at Kristy. "That's my boyfriend you're stealing, missy!" Kristy laughed.

"You should be grateful that I'm happy, Olivia, or I'd beat you up for calling me a missy," she said. Olivia smiled.

"Now let's go visit Tristan Ghost!" Tancred said. They headed for 15 Darkly Wynd.

When they got there, Gabriel rang the doorbell. Tristan answered it.

"What do you want now?" she asked exasperatedly.

"It's me, auntie!" Kristy called from the back of the crowd. Tristan's eyes widened in surprise.

"Kristina, is that you?" she asked. "It has to be someone of Ghost blood. The auburn hair and the bright green eyes."

"Yep!" Kristy answered happily, giving her aunt a big hug. She kissed Tristan's cheek. Tristan, who had never been touched by childish lips willingly before, was surprised. She felt warm from head to toe. Her hard features softened, and a rare smile appeared on her face.

"Come in," Tristan invited them in. "I want to hear all about everything."

So they told her.


	6. What a Temper!

Author's Note: Dear **audi katia**, in this chapter, you will see exactly how Kristy isn't a Mary-Sue. Tsk-tsk. What a temper!

"Kristina Alexandra Stephanie Twirl, where on earth have you been?" Thelxiepia Twirl asked her daughter, hands on her hips. "It's been, what, six hours? Seven?"

"Mum, I was just, er, hanging out with my friends," Kristy lied, her green eyes unusually bright. She had never fibbed to her mother before.

"I can see that you're lying, Kristy, dear," Mrs. Twirl said sternly. "You should be very ashamed of yourself."

'

Kristy hung her head, then lifted the rosy face again. "I was only at Aunt Tristy's house—"

"_What?_" her mother exclaimed ferociously. "So _she's _the one who taught you to lie! KEVIN!" A tall, muscular man with dark hazel hair and bright green eyes entered the room.

"Yes, Thelxie, dear?" he asked. He smiled at Kristy kindly. "Hey, Kris."

"You won't be smiling after I tell you what she's done!" Mrs. Twirl screeched.

"Kristy, did you blow up the toilets at school again?" Kevin Twirl asked, more sternly this time.

"It was _worse _than that, Kev!" Mrs. Twirl yelled. "Kristina found out about Tristan! She _visited _her! And my sister's taught her how to lie!" Her green eyes filled with sparkling tears.

"Mum! Auntie Tristy is a kind, generous person! She's a kindred spirit! Auntie didn't teach me to lie! I just did so you wouldn't get mad at her or me. Auntie told me you didn't want me to know her, so I couldn't help but fib. I'm sorry," Kristy apologized, astonished that her perfect mother could cry like that. Thelxiepia didn't believe a word of it.

Kevin just stood there, speechless. "Um, I'll be making a cup of tea," he said awkwardly, and left the room to the two females.

"How could you, Kristy?" Mrs. Twirl cried. "How could you lie to your mother _two times?_ How could you visit the sister that hates me so? How?" She covered her face with her hands.

Kristy grew impatient and angry with her mother. Her blood was boiling. Her bright green eyes were clouding with gray. This was a very bad sign. "How many times do I have to tell you?" she said angrily. "I didn't lie! Aunt Tris helped cure me of hypnotism! She doesn't hate you! You're just too downright stubborn to believe it. Some mother you are, not believing your own child's true words. You aren't a very good sister, either, from what Auntie's told me. Always in the spotlight while she crouched in a dark corner. When she was crying in her room, you confronted her. At school, you spread nasty rumors about her. I don't know _why _Daddy chose you. I should be grateful, because it's because of you I exist, but still." She looked at her shocked mother coldly. Thelxiepia froze.

Kristy stomped up to her room and thundered back with a suitcase full of clothes, and all that important stuff. Thelxiepia turned pale. Kevin came back with the tea. "I'm going," she declared furiously. "And you're not going to stop me, so-called-mother. Bye, Daddy!" She walked out, slamming the door behind. She left a very confused Kevin and a very frustrated Thelxiepia behind her.

She marched down past Greybank Crescent and reached 15 Darkly Wynd. She rang the doorbell and heard footsteps. Her Aunt Tristan answered the door and let her in, guessing what had happened.

"Cup of tea, dear?' Tristan asked, getting a cup for herself. Kristy nodded, the grim look vanishing from her face, being replaced with a smile. It was nice to be in the warm, cozy kitchen with her aunt. Tristan handed her niece a cup of steaming tea and smiled back.

"What happened, Kristy?" the aunt asked after Kristy's expression had softened.

"My stupid mother. She accused me of lying," Kristy replied simply, as if she didn't care. "She said you hated her. She made it sound like she really _was _telling the truth, but I wasn't demented enough to fall for it. Her eyes seemed to tell me that she really was the perfect angel, and you were the jealous, flawful sister that got in the way. At least _you _had a heart, Aunt Tris." She smiled brilliantly at her aunt.

"So, I reckon you're staying, sweetheart?" Tristan asked hopefully. She loved this thirteen-year-old girl, so lively and full of spirit. Living with her would be most pleasant.

"Of course, Auntie," Kristy answered matter-of-factly. "I don't ever want to go back there again. The only things that I'll miss are my dad, my room, and my CD's." She smiled sadly.

"I can get you a room, of course, and buy you new CD's, but I don't think your father would want to visit," Tristan said thoughtfully. "But there's a lot of things we can do. Oh, I forgot to tell you last time! Did you know we have the same endowment, Kristy?"

Kristy's eyes glittered like stars. "We can both help the garden grow, auntie! Oh, this is going to be so much fun! I can't wait! Auntie Tristy, this is the best and the worst day of my life!" She squeezed her aunt's hand.

"I'll take you to Bloor's tomorrow," Tristan said, grinning. "Hope there won't be any trouble. You know, with you getting cured and all, Alexandra. Do you mind me calling you Alexandra? It was my mother's name. Your deceased grandmother's. I guess Thelxiepia hasn't told you about her. My father Stephen—that's where you got Stephanie—always adored my sister. But my mother saw right through her. Pity she died when I was nine. Well, Stephen, my father, remarried. That's the grandmother you know of, Little Alex. Christina. Hmm, I guess that's where you got Kristina." She hadn't talked this much for a while, and she kind of liked blabbering.

"So I'm named after a grandfather who ignores me, a grandmother I never knew, and a stepgrandmother I hate?" Kristina asked grimly. "Great. And I always thought my name was rather pretty. Now the only parts I like are Alexandra and Twirl."

"Everyone could just call you Alexandra Twirl," Tristan suggested. "It wouldn't be actually changing your name, since it's already part of it, and it's way prettier than Kristina Twirl."

"Alexandra Twirl, Alexandra Twirl," Kristy muttered to herself. "I guess so. It's a beautiful name, no doubt about that. What was Grandma Alexandra's maiden name?"

"Violet," Tristan answered softly. "Alexandra Kathryn Charity Violet." She remembered her mother, bold, brazen, and headstrong. So like the girl sitting before her. The features were exactly the same, except for the hair and the eyes. Her mother had owned long, straight golden hair and bright sapphire blue eyes.

"So everyone will call me Alexandra Violet," Kristy declared. "Well, everyone except my friends, anyway. They've got Kristy stuck in their heads, and I can't fix that."

Tristan smiled. She had been doing that a lot lately since she had met her little niece. "I'm sure your grandmother would have been proud to have a bright girl like you have her name," she said. "If she were alive, she would have loved you."

"Was Grandma Alex endowed? What was her talent?" Kristy shot off, curious to find out what her grandmother was like.

"Yes, she was endowed, and her talent was to change colors. For example, she could turn her hair pink, then blue, then whatever color she wanted," Tristan said, proud of her mother's gift.

"Wow," Kristy breathed. "That's cool." Her green eyes were wide and lamplike, and now looked too big for her face.

"Wow indeed," Kristy said. She couldn't help but laugh at the expression on her niece's face.

The two auburn-haired, green-eyed, endowed females spent the night talking.

The very next day, Kristy waved to her aunt and ran outside. She hopped onto the blue bus that would take her to Bloor's Academy.

"What's all the racket?" Tristan's neighbor Eustacia Yewbeam screeched. She lived at 13 Darkly Wynd.

"I was trying to sleep," Eustacia's sister Venetia Yewbeam complained, sticking her head out of a window. She, also, lived at 13 Darkly Wynd, but in a different house. As a matter of fact, there were _three _13 Darkly Wynd's in total. The last one belonged to the matron of Bloor's Academy, and also the sister of Eustacia and Venetia, Lucretia Yewbeam.

"Oh, it's just the blue bus. They've come for my niece Kristy," Tristan replied casually, smiling.

Eustacia and Venetia stole worried looks. Tristan knew what they were thinking. _Kristina Twirl's been un-hypnotized._

Meanwhile, the blue, green, and purple buses stopped at Bloor's Academy. Kristy, Gabriel, Charlie, and Fidelio leaped out of the bus, laughing.

"Kristy," Gabriel said in a more serious tone. "Why did we stop at your aunt Tristy's house instead of yours?" Kristy's face darkened, and he immediately regretted having asked the question.

Kristy told her three friends about the conversation she had with her aunt last night, and what had happened before that.

"Kris, I really can't believe you sometimes," Charlie said, grinning.

"But you have to admit, what she did was wicked cool. Just like from a movie," Fidelio remarked. Kristy beamed.

The lessons were just as exciting—not!—as usual. Word had spread about the little incident Kristy had with her mother, but she didn't mind. Actually, she was rather glad that everyone knew about it.

"Well, it's nothing bad about me, much," Kristy said to Gabriel during French when the teacher was out of earshot. "Since I was the one who confronted her anyway. All she did was call me a liar and a bad daughter. But everyone knows it isn't true."

At the King's Room, Kristy was greeted by glares from Manfred, Zelda, Asa, Beth, Dorcas, and Billy; and smiles and pats on the back by Tancred, Lysander, Emma, and Bindi.

"What you did was wicked, Kris," Tancred said, shaking Kristy's hand. "You showed her big time." Kristy gave him one of her radiant smiles, and Tancred went weak in the knees. Then Kristy made an announcement.

"Anyone who doesn't know me as a friend, someone to trust, blah, blah, blah, will call me Alexandra Violet from now on. Do I make myself clear?" she demanded in a powerful voice that her friends never knew she was capable of. There were 'yes's and grunts and nods and smiles.

"You can't order us around, Twirl," Manfred said irritably. "_I_'m Head Boy."

"Do you mind shutting up, Bloor? I don't remember having asked _you _to comment," Kristy replied coolly, her green eyes frosty and cold. The two had a staring contest. Manfred found that he now had no effect on Kristy with his coal black eyes. He couldn't get through the iciness of those strong, amazingly brilliant green eyes.

"You think you're so clever, plant-girl," Zelda sneered at Kristy. "Stupid, bratty little missy."

Kristy lunged forward onto Zelda, or at least tried to. Tancred had grabbed ahold of her just in time.

"Now I know why Olivia should have been grateful Kris was happy," Lysander muttered in awe.

"Let—me—go—Tanc!" Kristy growled. "The—little—twit—called—me—a—missy!"

Zelda smiled smugly. "Yeah, Torsson. Let go of your little girlfriend. She can't do much to me anyway." Kristy glared daggers at her. Tancred had half a mind to let go, but then Kristy would get in trouble. _Big_ trouble.

"Kris, cool it," he mumbled in her ear. "You don't want to get hypnotized again, now do you?" At this, Kristy reluctantly stopped struggling. With a warning growl at Zelda, she sat down at her seat between Gabriel and Lysander.

"Phew," Tancred sighed in relief.

"She's more of a beast than Asa," Manfred said, sniggering.

"Bloor, I'm warning you," Gabriel said, glaring at the Head Boy.

"You can't do anything to me," Manfred sneered, but sat down and shut up anyway.

"Thanks, Tanc," Kristy whispered to Tancred while scribbling the answer to number eighteen on page one hundred in her English textbook. "Sometimes my temper gets out of hand."

"I know how you feel," Tancred whispered back with a smile.

"Torsson, Twirl—"Manfred started to say. Kristy glared at him. "Er, I mean, um, er, _Violet, _back to your homework." Kristy smiled, satisfied.

When Kristy and Emma were done with their homework, the two of them walked to the Girls' Dormitories together. On the way, they saw something that made them giggle. Olivia and Fidelio were in the middle of the corridor, kissing.

"I do hope we're not interrupting something," Kristy said loudly. The two finally took notice of the two girls' presences, and blushed, pulling back.

"Er, sorry," Fidelio apologized, very red.

"Didn't mean for you guys to see that," Olivia said, reddening.

"Well, obviously not," Emma said, giggling.

"Don't let Matron catch you," Kristy warned. "Remember what happened to Damian Smerk and Vera Smiles."

"Bye, then," Fidelio said, waving as he walked away.

"Bye, Fido!" Kristy, Olivia, and Emma called back, walking to their own dormitory.

"Not a word, you two," Olivia warned them, her eyes twinkling.

"You worry too much, Olivia," Kristy replied, grinning wickedly.


	7. The War: Tancred VS Kristy

Author's Note: Tancred might be a little OOC in this chapter, and so might Manfred. For Tancred, I couldn't help it, but for Manfred, he was upset about the ball and having to go with Zelda. Enjoy!

TO EHREN (RYOKO) HATTEN: Sorry about having the same idea as you with the ball and all, but I kinda thought it would be necessary. And if you check my review, it asks you permission. Hope you don't get mad.

OVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOV

On Tuesday, Emma, Kristy, Charlie, and Gabriel were late in coming to the King's Room and interrupted Manfred in the middle of a speech.

"Did we miss anything?" Emma asked, panting as she and the others sat down. Tancred was pale. Lysander had a horrified expression on his face. Bindi's face was blank. Zelda was as happy as could be. Billy was confused. Asa was sober. Beth and Dorcas were grinning. Manfred was looking pretty down in the dumps.

"As I was saying, we will be having a ball celebrating the 150th anniversary of Bloor's Academy," Manfred said grimly. Gabriel looked shocked. Charlie's mouth dropped open. Emma's mouth clamped shut.

"You're not serious," Kristy said, laughing. "You can't be. A _ball _at _Bloor's?"_

"Wish there wasn't, Violet, but there is, and yes, I'm serious," Manfred replied, smiling grimly.

"Aw, come on, Manfred. We're going to have a jolly good time," Zelda cooed.

"Shut up, Zelda," Asa snarled. "None of us are too happy with the ball now." Before Zelda could say anything, Manfred went on with information about the ball.

"The Anniversary Ball will be held three weeks from now, on Friday," Manfred said. "Everyone must dress properly, which means that girls have to wear dresses—"Kristy groaned. "—and boys have to wear 'proper' clothing. No jeans or jerseys. Nice dress shirts and dress pants would do." Tancred, Lysander, and Charlie protested. Manfred either didn't hear them, or did and chose to ignore them. "EVERYONE must go to the ball. Yes, Billy, that includes you. All seniors must have partners—"Lysander whimpered. "—but juniors can just go by themselves." His voice wasn't mean, foreboding, or unkind, but rather exasperated.

"I don't like the sound of this," Emma muttered to herself. "I _really _don't like the sound of this."

"I don't like this any more than you do, Emma," Kristy mumbled. "Dresses! Outrageous! That's so, um, un-Kristy-ish!"

"I'm glad I was born in August," Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm not a senior."

"Lucky Gabe," said Tancred, who was a senior.

"At least _you_ know who you're going to ask, Tanc," Lysander told his best friend sadly. "And I _know _she'll say yes."

"What do you mean, I know who I'm going to ask?" Tancred said, his yellow hair crackling with electricity. "How do you know who I'm going to ask, Sander? And how do you know she'll say yes?"

"Because it's _me,_" Beth said, batting her eyelashes. She had had a crush on Tancred since the beginning of time. "And I _do _say yes, dearie."

Charlie snorted. "Everyone knows Tanc's got a major crush on Kristy," he said matter-of-factly. "And it's obvious that Kristy's going to say yes."

"How do you know I'm going to say yes?' Kristy questioned, speaking up.

"Does that mean you won't?" asked Tancred, his blue eyes blazing.

"Well—" Kristy began, but no one heard what she was going to say, for Tancred interrupted her rather rudely.

"I knew it!" Tancred blew up, causing a strong wind to blow and knock Gabriel off his feet. "I just _knew _you were going to refuse! See, Sander?"

"Who said I was going to refuse?" Kristy snapped.

"So you'll go with me?" Tancred said brightly.

"Now that I think about it, no!" Kristy answered with a growl.

"Horrible temper, that one," Gabriel commented.

"Why would he want to go with that scrawny little git anyway?" Beth wondered quietly at the same time Tancred yelled, "Fine! So be it!"

He turned, stood up, and sat down at the farthest seat from Kristy. That, unfortunately for Kristy, was the seat next to Beth.

"So _now _will you go with me?" Beth asked eagerly.

"Of course!" Tancred said loudly, surprising everyone in the room. A hurt look flickered in Kristy's brilliant eyes for a second, then she remembered herself and smirked.

"I really feel sorry for you, Beth," she said kindly to one of her enemies. "You have a kind heart, and an abnormally large, warm one if you're going to go with _him."_ Tancred flinched. Kristy could be really cold when she wanted to.

"Twirl—I mean, Violet! That's enough! Everyone start on homework!" Manfred commanded. All of the others, except Tancred, Kristy, Lysander, and Gabriel, groaned, for they would have loved to hear Tancred's reaction to the cold remark.

The next day, everyone seemed to know all about the happenings in the King's Room. Lysander, who, obviously, had been told by Tancred to ignore Kristy, followed the turbulent boy everywhere and never talked, or even looked at the auburn-haired girl with the radiant green eyes. Gabriel was loyal to Kristy, but Kristy wasn't feeling as cold towards Tancred, so the thin boy could talk to anyone he pleased. Charlie, Fidelio, Olivia, and Emma didn't know whose side to go on, so Tancred and Kristy didn't talk to them. Finally, after many, many hours of talking to themselves, Olivia and Fidelio went on Tancred's side, and Emma and Charlie went on Kristy's. They couldn't help it, or their two friends would never talk to them, ever.

"Kristy, don't you think you should apologize to the T-person?" Emma asked Kristy at the King's room a Thursday evening. She was not allowed to say his name.

"No. It's not my fault and I'm not sorry," was Kristy's stubborn, whispered reply. Charlie, who had overheard, sighed. Emma smiled sadly, and talked no more, because she knew it was no use. Her friend was like a stubborn mule.

"Hey, Tanc, don't you think you should talk to Alexandra?" Fidelio asked Tancred in the garden on a Friday morning. It pained him to call Kristy 'Alexandra'. He remembered his old friend's announcement. He winced.

"No," Tancred replied sternly. "You know very well that I will never speak to that person again."

"But I don't get it," Olivia complained. "One day you're crazy about her, and the other, you hate her guts." Lysander silently agreed with her.

"We all must forget about our past, and focus on the present," Tancred answered, his blue eyes cold.

"It's no use. Charlie and Emma and we split up into groups to try and get them back together, but obviously, they're trying to forget about each other. This is really hard," Fidelio whispered to Olivia.'

"I know," Olivia muttered. "It's like doing the impossible."

Yet Kristy and Tancred knew what there was inside themselves, but were too stubborn and idiotic to admit it.

It was a sunny Saturday morning when all the children at Bloor's Academy went home. Kristy was in high spirits, and Gabriel was happy to see his friend like before all the tragedy arose.

"Bye, Em! I'll see you on Sunday!" Kristy called to Emma as the blonde-haired girl hopped onto the green bus, waving.

"C'mon, Kris. Let's go," Charlie said to his friend, tugging on her sleeve.

"'Kay, Chazz," Kristy answered, smiling as she walked up the steps of the blue bus. "I can't wait to see Auntie Tris. It's been such a long week." Her eyes darkened. Charlie was too busy searching for empty seats, so only Gabriel saw the glint of sadness in the green wonder.

They reached Filbert Street first. "Bye, Kris! Bye, Gabe! See you on Monday!" Charlie called as he jumped out of the bus, grinning. Kristy and Gabriel waved.

Next stop was Darkly Wynd. Kristy got off, smiling. "Bye, Gabe. You coming on Sunday?" she asked. Gabriel only had time to nod before the doors shut.

The green-eyed girl skipped up the steps to the newly painted door of periwinkle blue. She took a ring of keys from her jean pocket and opened the door. Kristy dragged her suitcase into the house and faced a grinning Tristan Ghost.

"Alexandra! You're back!" her aunt cried, hugging the thirteen-year-old girl. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, auntie. I have loads to tell you. But I'll have to put my stuff in my room before everything. Giving Tristan a kiss on the cheek, she climbed up the steps to her room. It had blue-and-white striped wallpaper, a desk, a bookcase filled with novels, a closet, and everything else that her old room had. Kristy sighed happily and put her burden down before thundering down the steps again to her wonderful aunt.

"So how was school?" Tristan asked after fixing up cups of tea and biscuits.

"It was fine, auntie," Kristy answered. "I had the most lovely time there. I had time to run around and talk with my friends, time to make fun of Manfred, and---"She paused. She wanted to tell her aunt everything about what had happened with Tancred, but she couldn't. The words filled up in her throat.

"Alexandra? Are you okay?" Tristan asked her niece, worried. She noticed the depressed look on Kristy's face, and the teary eyes. "Come on, dearie. You can tell me about it. It'll help, little Alex." Kristy nodded slowly.

"Well, you know the guy with the yellow hair and blue eyes, Tancred?" Kristy asked. Tristan nodded. "Well . . ." She told her aunt all about the ball, Manfred's speech, the argument, her friends taking sides, everything being unfair, how she couldn't live anymore without all her friends, it all blabbered out.

Tristan listened carefully, understanding what Kristy was going through. "I'm sorry, little Alex. Come here," she said, and gave her niece a big, motherly hug. "Now let's have a little talk, woman-to-woman. These things happen in life, and I want you to be ready for what life has in store for you."

Kristy nodded. "Okay, auntie. Now tell me," she said softly, looking up at Tristan with those big, wet pine-green eyes.

"What you need to do, Alex, dear, is to apologize to that Tancred boy. I know it's not your fault, sweetheart, but if you do, you'll gain all your friends back," Tristan said. Kristy's smile dropped to a frown.

"But I can't, auntie. I won't. That's the only thing I have in common with my mother, except for my looks. I'm as stubborn as a mule. Besides, if I'm not truly sorry, then the apology won't count, would it?" she asked sadly.

"I suppose you're right, Alexandra," Tristan said with a sigh. "It won't count." She stroked her niece's auburn hair so like her own. "We'll have to come up with something else."

"Auntie," Kristy whispered. "I think I want to be alone for a while. Just for a while. To think it over."

"Are you sure? You'll be okay, right?" Tristan asked. Kristy nodded, her green eyes deep with thought. "Okay then. Call me when you need me. I'll be in my room."

So Kristy was left alone for five hours of thinking before she went off to bed.


	8. The Letter

Author's Note: Teehee! I made up Bindi's last name because it doesn't say anything in the books. ENJOY!

It was a week before the big event. The partners were as listed below:

Tancred Torsson & Beth Strong

Manfred Bloor & Zelda Dobinski

Gabriel Silk & Kristina Twirl

Lysander Sage & Bindi Coaster

Charles Bone & Emma Tolly

Fidelio Gunn & Olivia Vertigo

Asa Pike & Dorcas Loom

Billy was going alone, since he was the youngest at the academy. Besides, he wouldn't want a partner anyway.

Ah, those gloomy days. Kristy was complaining about having to wear a dress, being the tomboy she was, and many people were getting tired of her whining.

"Shut up!" Tancred shouted at her one day at the King's Room.

"Shut up," Kristy mimicked, sticking her tongue out. "Shut up yourself, Torsson."

"Torsson! Violet! Do you mind shutting up?" Asa growled at the two now-enemies.

"Yes, I do mind," Kristy answered, making Gabriel laugh.

"Well, I don't care much, Twirl—I mean, Violet," Asa replied curtly.

"Who asked _your _opinion?" Kristy said back, her green eyes mocking him.

"I did," Asa barked, getting tired of her blabber.

"Shut UP, you two!" Manfred shouted. "I'm trying to do my homework here!"

"Yes, Manfred," Kristy and Asa said, rolling their eyes. They stared at each other and shook their heads.

"What is the world coming to?" Emma asked Charlie.

"I dunno, but no doubt it's something bad," Charlie muttered, going back to his horrible geometry.

"No duh," Lysander said.

"I said SHUT UP!" Manfred snarled.

"Okay, okay!" Lysander said, going back to his History. Tancred snickered.

"Torsson, do you mind closing that big hole in your head for just one more hour? Some of us here are trying to do their homework," Kristy said coldly, looking up from her French.

"Whatever," Tancred replied in the same cold tone he always used after the little incident.

"Thank you oh-so-much," Kristy answered sarcastically.

"How many times do I have to tell you people? SHUT UP! Torsson, Twirl—I mean, Violet, detention!" Manfred yelled, frustrated.

"But—but—" Kristy protested, but Asa raised a hand.

"Listen to the man," he commanded. "Detention, Violet, and no exceptions." Kristy stuck her tongue out at him.

"We can still go shopping on Sunday," Emma said to Kristy as they walked to the Girls' Dormitories.

"But still, Em. I have to have detention with the T-person!" the green-eyed girl wailed. "It's the worst punishment _ever._"

"It can't be all that bad," Emma said rather cheerfully as they entered the dormitory. "It could be worse, Kris."

"No, it couldn't," Kristy replied as she got ready for bed. "There were plenty of other people Manfred could have picked."

"Yes, but you two talked the most," Emma said, feeling guilty, for she was feeling very giddy that Kristy and Tancred were in detention together. "And that's life. You've got to live with it."

"I guess, Em," Kristy answered, sighing. "It's fair, and I can't do anything about it." She fell asleep as soon as her auburn locks hit the pillow. Emma took this chance to tell Olivia what had happened in the King's Room.

"This is perfect!" the drama queen exclaimed. "The chance that we've all been waiting for!"

"Yes, but they might not do anything," Emma whispered back. "Besides, we're all going home tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah," Olivia said sadly, her mood dropping. "But we can still hope."

"It might be enough, Olivia. So let's hope for the best," Emma said. "And maybe our dreams will come true." She fell asleep into a light dream.

"'Night, Em," Olivia whispered softly to her sleeping friend. She turned around on her bed and dreamt of Fidelio.

The next day, Emma and Olivia woke to find Kristy gone already to scrub the toilets in the bathroom.

"Poor Kris," Olivia said pitifully to Emma, but she daren't say it to anyone else, for, after all, she was pretending to be on Tancred's side, and wasn't allowed to say her old friend's name.

"I bet Tancred's scrubbing the toilets in the boys' bathroom," Emma said to Olivia, shaking her head. "Imagine! Who thought of this anyway?"

"You don't know? It was Manfred," Olivia said, sounding mildly surprised.

"C'mon, Livia. We should be going," Emma said, tugging on her friend's sleeve so that they could go home.

"'Kay, Em," Olivia muttered, grabbing her stuff. "Let's go." Without further ado, the two girls left the dormitory and went down to ride the buses home.

Kristy, however, wasn't feeling so joyful. "Stupid Manfred," she mumbled. "Making me scrub the toilets in the beginning of the day. It's revolting! Oh, ewwww!" She had found that someone had missed the toilet. "I think I'm going to be sick." And so she was.

"Violet, you're supposed to be cleaning up, not making the place dirtier than it already is," Zelda said, staring at the stall in disgust. She was supervising Kristy for the detention.

"Shut up, Dobinski," Kristy growled.

"It's Ms. Dobinski to you," Zelda said smugly. "Now hurry up! I haven't got all day, you know!" Kristy thought of strangling her scrawny white neck, then hesitated. She reluctantly went back to the 'work'.

After the scrubbing, it was breakfast. Kristy didn't feel like eating. She was feeling nauseous after she had seen what she had seen.

"Must I go?" she pleaded to Zelda.

"Yes. Now come on!" Zelda commanded, smirking cruelly. She liked being in charge. Kristy groaned.

"Violet, I mean it!" the older girl screeched. The auburn-haired girl obeyed, but not without a kick in Zelda's shins.

"Ow! What was that for?" Zelda asked, her eyes blazing as she looked forebodingly at Kristy.

"For being the nasty, ugly git you are," was Kristy's reply. Zelda snarled as the two girls entered the room, but either didn't want to, or couldn't, do anything.

"Now, eat," Manfred's girlfriend ordered. Kristy was sitting next to the cruel female, and didn't feel like eating. But she had to do as she was told, and took a bite of stale bread. She threw up.

"Hey! What was that for?" Manfred, who was on the other side of the table as Kristy, cried. His favorite black shirt was stained with something from a thirteen-year-old's stomach.

"Sorry, Manfred," Kristy muttered. "But you know how it is, cleaning the toilets! Someone missed their target!"

"Oh, ewwww," Tancred said in midbite. "I think _I'm _going to throw up, too."

"The situation's delicate enough as it is, Torsson," Manfred said coldly to the boy with the yellow hair. Tancred glared at him, and Kristy smirked and stuck her tongue out at the fourteen-year-old. He growled.

"Enough!" Dr. Bloor said in his chilling voice. "Torsson, Twirl—"Kristy snarled at him. "—er, Violet, you're excused for the rest of the day. I don't need anyone staining the beautiful walls of this ancient building, thank you very much. Carry a bucket or something around with you."

Kristy smiled radiantly at the headmaster. "Thank you, Dr. Bloor. I'll be in the girls' dormitory if you need me," she announced, and marched away. Zelda looked disappointed. Tancred rolled his eyes.

"Er, I'll be wandering around if anyone needs _me, _which is highly unlikely," he said, and walked out of the room, leaving his unfinished dish left on the table. Nobody noticed, or cared, for that matter.

On Sunday, Tancred and Kristy walked out of the building, ignoring each other. The first people they saw were Mr. and Mrs. Torsson, Tancred's parents. Mr. Torsson was a large, tall man with the same crackling yellow hair and blue eyes as his son, but Mrs. Torsson was on the slight, skinny side.

"Hello, Tancred, dear. Is this your friend?" Mrs. Torsson asked her son, smiling.

"Er . . . yeah, mom," Tancred answered awkwardly. Kristy sent him a questioning look.

"Hello, dear. I'm Mrs. Torsson, and this is my husband," Tancred's mother said to Kristy warmly.

"Hello, Mrs. Torsson. I'm Kristina Twirl, or as some people call me, Alexandra Violet," Kristy said brightly, smiling at the woman. Just then, a navy blue car drove near them. "There's my aunt. Bye, Mr. and Mrs. Torsson!" She waved and hopped into the car to her Aunt Tristan.

"Hey, little Alex. What did you get detention for?" Tristan asked her niece as she drove away.

"For defending myself in the King's Room," Kristy answered, and said no more. Tristan shrugged as they stopped in the driveway of 15 Darkly Wynd. The two auburn-haired, green-eyed women got out and went inside the large, cheery house.

"It's good to be home again," Kristy said brightly as the two shared hot chocolate to warm them up near the fire.

"You bet, Alex," Tristan replied with a tinkly laugh. Then, in a more serious voice, she said, "This letter came for you in the mail." She handed her little niece a perfect white envelope addressed to Miss Kristina Alexandra Stephanie Twirl, 15 Darkly Wynd, from . . . from Mrs. Thelxiepia Trinity Twirl, 55 Storm Street. Kristy's face was as white as paper, even with all the heat. She slowly tore open the envelope and unfolded a piece of paper filled up with her mother's neat handwriting.

Dear Kristina,

This is your mother, Thelxiepia. You might be wondering why I have written you this letter. I just wanted to say that I am truly, dreadfully sorry, and I hope you accept my apology. The second reason is that I have gotten wind of your location. You may stay there if you wish (but I highly doubt that), but whenever you feel like coming home, please do. Your father and I miss you terribly, so much that it is sinful. The house is so empty without you, dearie. We had never known how precious you were to us until you left. Please come back, Kristina.

Your loving mother,

Thelxiepia Trinity Twirl

"She wants me to come back," Kristy choked. She handed her dear aunt the horrible letter. Tristan scanned it quickly.

"Well?" she asked quietly, so quietly that it was barely audible.

"Well what, auntie?" Kristy said, eyes bright as ever.

"Do you want to go home?" Tristan questioned her niece, dreading the answer.

"Of course not!" Kristy cried, hugging her aunt. "I don't ever want to go back there again. Remember what I told you on my first night here?"

"You don't?" Tristan said happily, her spirits rising.

"No. I'll stay here for as long as time allows," Kristy announced firmly, stomping her foot. She took a swipe of hot chocolate.

"And you will stay as long as my life goes on," the aunt declared.

"But then I'll never see Daddy again," sniffled Kristy.

"Oh, you'll see him. I'll help you meet him again, if it's the last thing I do!" Tristan said, smiling at her niece.

"Will he want to?" asked Kristy.

"If he doesn't, he isn't a very good father," Tristan replied.

The two slept well in their beds that night.


	9. A Very Strange Day

Author's Note: Sorry I don't have enough time to do individual notes. I can't help it, but this time a review was REALLY important, so here it is:

**V. Kasz: **I'm sorry! I knew your fic had a dance, but that was before I wrote down Kristy's life in my notebook-thingy. I'm REALLY sorry, but I couldn't change it when I learned that you wrote about the ball and everything, 'cause I wrote this chapter with the ball, and the next chapters turning back to the memory of the ball. Again, I'm sooooo sorry!

SORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRY

It was the big day. The day of the Anniversary Ball. Students were excused from their classes to have the day to get ready. Everyone was nervous and quiet, except Zelda, Beth, and Kristy. Zelda was always laughing, and cooing to Manfred, and Beth was known to be giggling in the halls. And Kristy . . .

Kristy was known to her friends to have very large temper tantrums. She started the day with a whole lot of them. The plants outside were growing at the speed of light. As for the girl who caused them, she was in the girls' dormitory on her large, bouncy bed, looking very bad-tempered indeed. Emma, Olivia, and a few other girls were hiding in the bathroom from all the power that was generating from her.

"Kris, have you calmed down yet?" Emma asked her friend, peeping out from the door.

"No," Kristy said, cutting to the point.

"I don't get it," Rosie Stubbs complained. "All this fussing just because we have to wear dresses." Emma ducked for cover.

Kristy started yelling the loudest she could, and believe me when I say she has a very loud voice. All the people at the other side of the castle could hear her perfectly well. Rosie dropped to the ground, clutching her ears with her skinny hands.

"Boy, that girl's loud," she said, looking white. Just then, Zelda Dobinski came into the dormitory.

"What's going on?" she snarled, glaring at Kristy. "What's all this noise about?"

Kristy growled. "Who made up the rule about having to wear a dress to the ball anyway?" she asked bad-temperedly.

To everyone's surprise, Zelda laughed. Kristy looked bewildered. "You sometimes make a fuss over the strangest things, Twirl," she said with a grin.

Kristy literally fainted. Zelda had never been known to be nice to anyone except Manfred, and she had actually called Kristy by her real name (last name, anyway).

Olivia looked so shocked that Emma couldn't help but laugh. "What? This is so . . . unusual, don't you think, Em? I have a reason to be shocked," the purple-haired girl said. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Was it something I did?" was Zelda's question. She was being very abnormally nice.

"Why are you being so kind?" Rebecca Smith asked the ever-hated senior girl, her dark brown eyes wide.

"Haven't I always been nice?" Zelda asked. This moment was the time Kristy woke up again. She looked at the senior girl once and started stuttering.

"You—you—you were _nice._ This is a total _nightmare!_" she cried, and bolted out of the room.

"That was so expected," Olivia whispered to Emma. "Sometimes Kristy can be very predictable. Emma nodded.

"What'd I do?" Zelda said, confused.

A few hours later, Kristy was back, on the lookout for Zelda. Emma and the girls were getting ready big time.

"Oh, Kris. She's gone. Don' t worry," Emma said, laughing.

"Phew," the green-eyed girl breathed a sigh of relief. She went into the bathroom to get changed into her gauzy periwinkle blue dress. A few minutes later, she came out looking rosy and majestic in the new dress. Emma, who was clothed in a foamy, light green dress, gasped.

"Oh my word! Kristy, you have never looked so pretty since the day I met you," Emma sighed.

"You look great, too, Em," Kristy replied, smiling. Her friend's dress fitted perfectly. Her hair was done in a French braid, and her dreamy blue eyes twinkled in the light. "Charlie is going to swoon."

"Thanks, Kris," Emma answered, blushing. "D'you want me to do your hair for you?"

"It would be an honor," said Kristy, smiling all the while. Emma grinned as her older friend sat down at a chair. She went behind Kristy and did her hair in a bun, leaving some of the auburn locks in the front loose. She curled them up quickly, and gave a mirror to the thirteen-year-old.

"Oh, my God," Kristy breathed. "Is that really me?" When Emma nodded, she hugged her young friend and said gratefully, "Emma Tolly, I have never looked, or felt so beautiful in my whole life!"

"Always a pleasure, Kristy. Always a pleasure," Emma said, smiling. The curled hair did well for Kristy's delicate, almost-perfect features. "Whenever you have a ball, call me up and I'll be there for ya."

"Em, you are the best friend anyone could ever have, has anyone ever told you that?" Kristy asked, her deep green eyes shining like stars.

"No. Thanks, Kris," was Emma's reply.

"Come on, girls! Isn't it time to go?" Anna Katz called as she swept in, her brown curls flying behind her.

"Yep," Kristy answered, glancing at her watch.

"Kristina Twirl, take that watch off! It's a _ball, _for heaven's sake!" Miranda Robertson exclaimed. Sticking her tongue out, Kristy obeyed.

The girls, ranging from ages ten through fourteen, went down the stairs, Kristy and Emma bringing up the rear. Olivia daren't speak to her bird-friend if Kristy was there.

"Oh, great. I'm going to be seen in public wearing these horrid garments," Kristy said, her eyes dropping to the floor.

"Don't worry, Kris. They aren't laughing at you, they're actually staring," Emma replied, smiling affectionately at her friend.

"No, they're staring at _you, _Em," Kristy said as she scanned the corridor for Gabriel.

"There they are, Kristy!" Emma shouted as she spotted Charlie and Gabriel talking in front of the doors where the ball would take place.

"Hey, Chazz and Gabe!" Kristy called as the two girls came over.

"Hey, Kris. Nice to see you, Em," Charlie and Gabriel said in unison.

"When are the doors going to open?" Kristy asked mournfully.

"In like . . . two minutes. Don't be nervous, Kris," Gabriel told his friend, squeezing her arm.

"I'll try not to," was Kristy's answer as she cast a death glare at Beth, who was walking by with a huge hot pink dress on.

"Can you _believe _that girl?" she asked distastefully. "Wearing that giant _thing _around in public?" Beth scowled as she heard her, but the scowl changed to a sickeningly sweet smile when a certain yellow-haired, blue-eyed boy came into the corridor.

"Hi, Tancred!" Gabriel called to his ex-friend. Tancred just waved halfheartedly at him. The tumultuous boy didn't get along well with Kristy's gang. Gabriel smiled sadly. Suddenly, there was the sound of doors opening with very loud noise. Not louder than Kristy's tantrums, though. Dr. Bloor could be seen at the entrance, wearing black clothing that rather suited him.

He went on explaining why they were having the ball, the honor in being part of it, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

"This is so boring," Kristy muttered. Charlie silently agreed.

"Now let us walk through the doors and have a good time," Dr. Bloor said emotionlessly. The group of giddy people (or very dispirited, for Kristy, Emma, Gabriel, and Charlie) walked through the doors to find a sight to behold.

The usually cold, dark stone walls were cheerful and bright against the bright light. A crystal and sapphire chandelier hung on the ceiling, glittering. There were tables of punch, cookies, and other various snacks, and a whole marble floor, which was the dance floor.

"I never thought I'd see the day Bloor's would be this happy and bright," Emma murmured, in awe of the things she had gazed upon. The four were sitting at a small table (suited for four, obviously).

"So what's supposed to happen?" Gabriel asked boredly.

"I don't know," Charlie answered, shrugging. "Are we supposed to dance first or what?"

"No clue," Kristy said, and stared at a table where Tancred, Beth, Rosie, and Thomas Blake were sitting at with mixed emotions plain on her face. Her eyes seemed faraway.

"Kristy? KRISTY!" Emma yelled into the auburn-haired girl as the music started playing. She blinked, her green eyes back to normal.

"Come on, Kris!" Gabriel and Charlie called, as they were standing on the dance floor already.

"Oh, right!" Kristy said, and quickly bolted out of her chair and joined the boys with Emma.

"Er, don't mind me if I step on your toes, Em. I never learned how to dance, much," Charlie muttered, growing pink.

"Don't worry, Chazz. I'll teach you," Emma replied, her blue eyes glowing.

"So, let's go, Kris," Gabriel said awkwardly. Kristy nodded and danced along with the music. She seemed to know every step, every beat.

"How do you do that?" Gabriel asked in an awed voice as his partner just showed some graceful moves.

"Daddy insisted that I get dance lessons in preparations for the future when I was five or six. My dance teacher taught me everything she knew, and this is where I end up now," Kristy replied.

"So how's it going?" Emma asked at the punch stand when the two stopped for refreshments.

"Not bad. How's Chazz coming along?" Kristy said, draining her first cup of blood-red punch.

"Not so horribly," was Emma's answer as she smiled. "It was actually a bit fun dancing with him."

"I'm gonna go now, Em. See ya later, if I'm thirsty!" Kristy called as she walked away, her head turned in Emma's direction. So she didn't see the yellow-haired, blue-eyed boy in a navy blue outfit walk in the opposite direction, his mass of crackling hair turned around in the same way as Kristy's. They crashed, and were thrown to the floor.

"I'm so sorry," Kristy apologized, lending a hand to the boy. "I wasn't looking where I was goin—_Tancred?"_ Her eyes lost the warm glow they had, and turned into a frosty pine-green like the trees covered in snow in the winter. "Oh, my God."

"Kristy?" Tancred asked, forgetting himself as he stared into the icy green eyes.

"Yes?" the girl said in an emotionless voice so like Dr. Bloor's.

"Er, would you like to dance?" The words slipped out of his mouth, and though he regretted it then, in the future, he went all dreamy-eyed and happy as he recalled that moment.

"Um, yeah. I guess," Kristy answered awkwardly, staring at him as if he had grown three more heads.

"'Kay. C'mon," the yellow-haired boy said contently, being like his old self all of a sudden. Kristy followed him to the dance floor and couldn't help but smile back at the grin he gave her.

Kristy and Tancred fell into step, dancing as if their lives depended on it. They were both very talented; there was no doubt about that. Fidelio and Olivia grinned at each other as they passed, and Lysander's heart was bursting with joy when he saw his friends. Emma, Charlie, and Gabriel smiled as they watched the scene from the punch table.

"Um, Tanc, can I speak with you for a second?" Kristy asked just as Beth came over angrily. "Privately?"

"Sure," Tancred replied, obviously eager to get away from the rosy girl in the humongous hot pink dress.

The two slipped away, not unnoticed by anyone. The whole room stared after them as they went.

"But they're supposed to hate each other!" Beth cried, bursting into tears. Good-natured Lysander couldn't help but snicker.

Meanwhile, Kristy and Tancred were in the corridor outside.

"Well, I really needed to tell you something—"Kristy began.

"I think I really need to say this—"Tancred said at the same time.

"I'm sorry," the two apologized at the same time. Kristy blinked.

"You are?" she asked as her emerald green eyes met Tancred's sapphire blue ones.

"No, you're telling me that _you_'re sorry?" Tancred said, bewildered.

"But you didn't do anything!" they exclaimed in unison.

"This is a very confusing day," Kristy muttered.

"Zelda's being nice, Dr. Bloor doesn't yell at us, Olivia and Fidelio are officially going out, and this," Tancred took over.

"Oh, my God," Kristy said, feeling dizzy. "I'll never forget this day."

"Neither will I," was Tancred.

END OF CHAPTER 9.


	10. Tristan's Hypnotizing Box

Author's Note: Sorry I don't have the time to do individuals anymore. I'll answer questions at the end of er, maybe Chapter 11. This took really long. Too much homework. Well, enjoy!

"So, did you two kiss and make up?" Olivia teased on Monday.

"Shut up, you," Kristy said, blushing. "We're not all like you and Fidelio, Livia." Fidelio shoved her playfully.

"Violet! Vertigo! Quiet in the hall!" Manfred called.

"I don't see _you _shutting up," muttered Tancred.

"C'mon, Tanc. Leave him alone. He's not worth it," Gabriel said cheerfully.

"I guess you're right, Gabe," Tancred whispered. "You always are."

"We can't be late to English, guys. I promised Auntie Tristan that I'd be home on Saturday," Kristy said to them urgently.

"Anything for you, Kris," Tancred replied, grinning.

"Thank you, Tancred," Kristy said sweetly.

"Cut with the mushy-gushy stuff," Lysander mumbled. Tancred and Kristy were spending a little too much time together. Obviously, he was jealous.

"Lighten up, Sander," Charlie told him. "It's only for a little while."

"Sure," Lysander answered sarcastically. "For just a little while. Well, if you haven't noticed, Tanc seems like he's about to _propose _to Kris." Tancred turned red, while Kristy looked bewildered.

"You must be kidding," the tempest girl said, crossing her arms. "I'm never going to get married.

"Is that an insult?" Tancred demanded, his blue eyes flashing.

"Not again," Emma groaned.

"Seriously, why can't these two just act their age?" Fidelio asked, hands on his hips. Olivia giggled.

"Shut up, Fido," Kristy snarled. "And, no, that was not an insult."

"I'm _so _sure," was Tancred's reply.

"You guys, please stop it," Gabriel said helplessly.

Kristy's sharp pine green eyes softened as her gaze landed on her best friend. "'Kay, Gabe," she said softly, relaxing. Tancred looked the way Lysander did when the African boy was looking at his two friends.

"Hmph," the yellow-haired boy said, and walked away, Lysander following him.

"Was it something I said?" asked Kristy.

"It seems so," Emma and Olivia answered exasperatedly.

15 Darkly Wynd 

The doorbell rang.

"Coming!" Tristan Ghost called merrily, turning from her cup of tea. She jogged to the door and flung it open to find a raven-haired woman with red boots.

"Why, hello, Venetia," Tristan greeted her neighbor, though a bit suspicious.

"Good afternoon, Tristan," Venetia said sweetly. "May I come in?"

"Certainly," Tristan said courteously. "Cup of tea?"

"Yes, please," Venetia replied as she sat down on a comfortable chair. The one Tristan always sat on, to be exact.

"What did you want to talk about?" Tristan asked the raven-haired woman after she had gotten the tea.

"Oh, nothing. Just wanted to chat and be neighborly," Venetia said, waving her hands, smiling widely.

"Uh-huh," Tristan said, nodding and raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I bought something for you, you know, to make up the past um, five years that we haven't been together. Here it is," Venetia declared, opening up her handbag. When she withdrew her hand, in it was the prettiest music box Tristan had ever seen. It was made of solid gold, with rubies glistening from it. Carved in the copper center was a majestic lion. Venetia handed it to Tristan, beaming. "Do you like it?"

"Yes," Tristan said, smiling weakly. "I love it. Thank you, Venetia."

"Oh, pish-posh. That's what neighbors are for," Venetia gushed. "Now I'll be going. See you soon, Tristan!"

Tristan showed Venetia out and waved as the woman crossed the gloomy street. Then she went back to the room the music box was in. It was even more beautiful than before, the light of the fire dancing on the gold, copper, and ruby surface.

"It's probably just a trick," Tristan told herself. But when she glanced at the box, she was tempted to open it. She wondered what kind of music the box played, and forgot all about her suspicions as her mind was wiped blank. Placed in was the only thought she had: _Open the box._

Tristan slowly opened the box to let out slow, sweet, drowsy music. It was beautiful, all soft and high and lovely. Tristan fell in love with the music immediately, and didn't want to close the lid. It wasn't long before her sharp, bright pine green eyes grew dull and dreamy. She forgot who she was, what she was doing.

On Saturday, Kristy came home to 15 Darkly Wynd to find her aunt standing there, her dull green eyes boring into her own sharp ones.

"Auntie, are you okay?" Kristy asked, worried sick. Tristan nodded and managed a small smile.

"Yes. Come in, Kristy. I've been expecting you," she said in a soft voice so unlike the tone she used to speak in.

"Are you sure you're okay, Aunt Tris?" Kristy questioned again, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm fine, thank you, Kristy," Tristan replied.

"Why don't you call me 'Little Alex' or 'Alexandra' anymore?" Kristy said, her eyes filled with curiosity and worry.

"I do, Little Alex, I do," Tristan answered.

"All right," Kristy said suspiciously as she stepped into the house.

"Do you want to see the new music box our neighbors gave us?" Tristan asked her niece dreamily, leading her to the warm living room.

"Yes, Auntie," Kristy said, holding the woman's hand.

"Here we are," Tristan declared, taking out the gold, ruby, and copper box with the engraved lion. Kristy recognized it immediately. Emma had brought her a book about hypnotism, and she had read the thick book from cover to cover. She remembered the box perfectly. It was one of the four existing hypnotizing boxes in the world: eagle, badger, lion, and snake. "Isn't it beautiful?" Tristan sighed.

Kristy nodded quickly and recollected all the information about the lion hypnotizing box. The victims could not be cured with any herbs, including the _Veritas Lily._ Only true, ancient magic could cure the victim. _This is going to be hard, _she thought, tears welling up in her eyes. Her Aunt Tristan was the person in the world she loved most.

Kristy was stuck with her Aunt Tristan and the box for whole two days, cooped up in the house. Her aunt wouldn't let her go anywhere. Charlie and her friends called and came to the house, but Tristan always got there first, and told them off or slammed the door in their faces.

The adventurous girl thought it would never be Monday, but the day finally came. The blue bus came to the stop, and Kristy gladly hopped in, joining her friends without waving to her aunt.

"What's wrong with your Aunt Tris?" Gabriel asked, worried. "She's been acting really strange lately."

"Yeah. She just slammed the door in my face!" Fidelio exclaimed. "And I thought she was nice."

"She is," Kristy replied, telling Gabriel, Fidelio, and Charlie the whole story behind the box.

"I saw it, Kris. I saw it," Charlie breathed. "My great-aunts were over at my house, talking to Grandma Bone. They were hatching a plan. I bet one of them gave it to your aunt." Kristy clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.

"I'm gonna kill those women," she said menacingly. "One day I'll kill them."

"You'll get thrown in jail for committing murder!" Gabriel cried.

"I was _kidding, _Gabe," Kristy said, grinning. Her green eyes twinkled. "Or maybe not."

"Better not, Kris," Fidelio advised knowledgably. "You don't know what the Yewbeams can do."

"That reminds me," Charlie said thoughtfully, holding out a piece of paper. "Here, Kristy. My Uncle Paton wanted me to give this to you."

The auburn-haired girl curiously took the note. Scribbled on it was: _To Kristina Twirl, from Paton Yewbeam._ She unfolded the piece of paper and read it out loud so only her three male friends could hear:

_Dear Kristina,_

_I would really appreciate it if you came to 9 Filbert Street on Sunday to have a little chat. My nephew has told me quite a lot about you, and I used to know your parents. Please come._

_Sincerely,_

Paton Yewbeam 

"Chazz, you can tell your uncle I'll come," Kristy said quietly, thoughts swirling around her brain. _How did he know my parents? Did he know Grandma Alex? Does he know I ran away from home? Does he know Aunt Tristy? Does he know that my mom's really weird? Does he know _I'm _weird? Who is he, exactly? Why does he want me to meet him?_

"Kris, we're here!" Fidelio shouted in her ear, breaking her thoughts. Kristy blinked to see the gray stone walls of Bloor's Academy.

"Back again, unfortunately," Gabriel said glumly as he stared at the building.

"C'mon! I can see Sander, Tanc, Em, and Livia! We can ask them to help with Kristy's aunt!" Charlie called, going down the steps. Kristy, Gabriel, and Fidelio followed.

"Hey, Kris!" Tancred said, grinning. "I'm sorry about last week. I really wasn't thinking."

"Tanc, you know I'd forgive you for anything under the sun if you wanted me to," Kristy replied, giving him a hug. Lysander stared.

"Now onto the issue," Charlie said, coughing for attention.

"What issue?" Emma asked.

"The issue of Kristy's Aunt Tristy," Gabriel replied.

"Kristy, Tristy. Cool!" Olivia exclaimed.

"Not cool," Gabriel said sadly. "Kristy's aunt's been hypnotized." Olivia's face fell. Emma frowned. Lysander snapped out of his thoughts. Tancred looked sympathetically at Kristy.

"But how?" Lysander asked.

Kristy explained rather gloomily about the doings of Charlie's great-aunts.

"Just terrible," Tancred muttered.

"And I'm going to do something about it!" Kristy said determinedly, her green eyes blazing.

"Do what?" Emma questioned, but the lively girl was off.

Olivia shrugged. "Let's follow," she said.

Charlie, Fidelio, Gabriel, and the others didn't get a chance to ask Kristy exactly what she was going to do. She just told them not to worry, and that she was going to handle it.

Finally, at lunch, Kristy's friends found out exactly what she was going to do. The green-eyed, auburn-haired girl boldly stepped up to Dr. Bloor and pulled him out the doors. The entire room stared, and Gabriel looked fearfully at the doors as they banged shut.

"Everybody stay in your seats!" Manfred commanded, but he didn't need to. The students were frozen to their seats with fright.

"You did that to my Auntie, didn't you? Didn't you? Hurry up! ANSWER ME!" came the loud female voice. It echoed throughout the building.

"Kristina Alexandra Stephanie Twirl, constrain yourself!" Dr. Bloor commanded.

"Constrain myself? _Constrain _myself? You really are one insane man, Dr. Bloor! YOU HYPNOTIZED MY AUNT WITH THAT STUPID BOX! Do you really think I'm going to constrain myself?" Kristy fought back loudly.

Dr. Bloor looked fiercely at the small girl in front of him. She looked puny and powerless right now, but she had powers he could never imagine. "Kristina, go back to the hall. NOW," he ordered.

"No! Not until you put her back! I'm not going!" Kristy roared.

"I can't put her back. And I wouldn't, even if I did," Dr. Bloor said curtly.

Charlie sneaked to the doors and looked through a crack. Kristy was looking tremendously angry, and Dr. Bloor seemed almost . . . scared.

"I know you do, Dr. Bloor. I know you do. You know what I can do. If you won't tell me, sooner or later, you're going to pay," Kristy whispered to him in a voice that sent chills down his spine. Charlie didn't hear a word.

"No," the headmaster said firmly. "I won't tell." He shuddered for the last time as Kristy powerfully blasted open the doors and went back to her seat. Dr. Bloor did the same.

"Kris, what'd you say?" Fidelio asked her excitedly.

"Nothing. Nothing at all, Fido," was Kristy's quiet reply. She was unusually quiet. Tancred came over.

"Kristy, you okay?" he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder worriedly.

"I'm fine, Tancred. I told you I could take care of it. Now we have Dr. Bloor out of the way," Kristy said.

"Torsson, sit down!" commanded Manfred. Tancred reluctantly went back to his table, puzzled at Kristy's words.

"They'll pay. You'll see, Auntie. I'll do it for you," Kristy whispered.


	11. A Miracle

**Author's Note: **Ahh...long time, no see! I've been SO busy with other stuff. Well, here's Chapter Eleven!

YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY

"Em, can I stay at the bookshop for the weekend?" Kristy asked. "I don't feel like going back to 15 Darkly Wynd." A sad smile flashed across her face, but soon faded.

"Sure," Emma replied. "But I have a feeling that's not the only reason."

"We'll help you search for the cure," Gabriel said cheerfully, reading their minds. Kristy smiled at him.

"Thanks, Gabe. You're the best," she said, hugging him in a you're-so-my-best-friend kind of way. Tancred glared at the two jealously as Lysander grimaced.

"Don't worry, Sander. She won't take your best friend from you," Emma said with a grin to the dark African American, surprising Tancred. Kristy faked a hurt look.

"You know I'd never take anyone from you, Sander," she said jokingly, grinning as her mood lightened. "Besides, you were here first."

"How did we get from the topic of Ingledew's Bookshop to Lysander?" Tancred questioned curiously, evidently puzzled.

"Don't know, don't care," Kristy answered as she ruffled Tancred's bright yellow hair. Laughing at the amazed expression on his face, she said, "C'mon. We're late for French."

When Emma, Kristy, Lysander, Tancred, and Gabriel got there, the classroom was empty. Everything was quiet. "Odd," Gabriel commented. "Where is everyone?" Emma shrugged, looking as clueless as Charlie always was.

"I think Charlie's cluelessness has rubbed off on you, Emma," Lysander said quietly, no sign of a smile on his face. "I think we need to see someone about this."

"There's no need," a smooth voice said behind them. The group turned to see a tall girl of about thirteen standing there. Her dark bangs fell into her bright violet eyes. Ink-black curls cascaded down her back. She looked foreboding and mysterious.

"Who are _you_?" Tancred finally asked. Kristy looked like she had been about to say the same thing. "And what have you done with our class?"

"As for your first question, the name's Michelle Alexandria Turner. I'm a transfer student from Ireland," the girl said. "And as for the second, I haven't done anything. Your French class has just taken a nice trip to Paris. Unfortunately, you've just missed them." Gabriel's jaw dropped open.

"But we couldn't have missed them!" he cried. "Besides, if there was a trip, someone would have told us!" Michelle just shrugged.

"Not any of _my _business. _I _take _Spanish,_" she replied promptly, her purple eyes flickering on Kristy. The green-eyed girl seemed to remember something.

"I know you!" Kristy burst out. "You're that girl Daddy introduced me to when he invited some people for dinner! The endowed girl!" Michelle grinned.

"Right on one," she said, satisfied. "Michelle Alexandria Turner, expert fire controller, at your service."

Tancred snorted. "You sure like to say your name," he remarked. "And how are we supposed to trust you? We don't know anything _about _you."

"You didn't know anything about me, either, and you trusted _me,_" Kristy snapped. "I don't see why Michelle should be any different. Besides, if my daddy trusts her, I trust her." Gabriel nodded, agreeing with his best friend. "And she might come in useful in helping auntie or something," Kristy added as an afterthought.

"Now that _that_'s settled, we should be asking someone for help, since our class is on an airplane to Paris right now," Emma said. "How about it?" The others agreed, all except for Michelle.

"But I'm supposed to be in Spanish class!" she whined. Tancred raised an eyebrow. They could all see that Michelle wasn't going to be a very comfortable companion, even loyal Kristy.

"Good for you," Lysander said sarcastically, not liking this girl a bit. "Now _come on._" He, Kristy, Tancred, Gabriel, and Emma exited the classroom with Michelle trailing behind them, already feeling left out.

Lysander led all of them to Dr. Bloor's office, the least cheerful place on earth. Michelle yawned, obviously bored. "The last time I was here, the Bloor guy spent two hours lecturing me about the rules," she muttered.

"Miss Turner, back again?" a thick voice said exasperatedly. Dr. Bloor turned from his work and cast his weary eyes on the six children. His eyes flashed as they passed little Kristy, looking perfectly innocent and adorable. "Now, what do you want?"

"Our French class left to Paris, _accidentally _leaving us behind," Kristy replied crisply, her green eyes clear and alert. "At least, that's what our friend here told us." She tilted her head towards Michelle, then back again.

"I'm afraid you are correct, Miss Twirl, oh, fine, Miss Violet," Dr. Bloor answered with a sigh. "Now that is the problem, I assume?" Five heads nodded. "And you, Miss Turner?"

Rolling her eyes, Michelle grumbled, "These kids here wanted me to come with them for some mysterious reason. Ask _him._" She pointed to Lysander, who looked surprised.

"Er," the African American stuttered. "Well, I just thought it would be a good idea, since she was wandering the halls groundlessly anyway." He smiled smugly as Michelle crossed her arms over her chest defensively, absolutely fuming.

"Well, I suppose the period has passed now. Just go to your next class," the headmaster instructed them, waving the six off. "The matter will be settled. Miss Violet, Mr. Torsson, Mr. Sage, Mr. Silk, and Miss Tolly will have Spanish for the rest of the week. End of discussion."

Kristy opened her mouth to complain, but Gabriel elbowed her, which made her shut up. Glaring at her friend, the auburn-haired girl trotted out of the classroom. Michelle smirked, enjoying the scene. Lysander looked annoyed. "Will you stop that?" he demanded.

"No," was Michelle's answer.

"Why?"

"'Cause I feel like it."

"You stink."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Then you're welcome."

"Oh, will you two shut up? Sure, I'm happy that Lysander's finally found someone to play with, but still. You two can't stay silent for five seconds!" Gabriel snapped irritably. Lysander was confused, as were Emma, Kristy, and Tancred. Their gentle, timid gerbil-loving friend was never like this.

"So-rry," Michelle said, rolling her eyes in that way that Lysander immediately decided to hate forever.

"Shut up," Kristy told her, putting a hand on Gabriel's shoulder. Talking, the two went to English. Tancred and Emma headed to Math. Lysander, unfortunately, was to stick with Michelle until they reached the Social Studies classroom.

"Ah, Mr. Sage, Miss Turner, you're late," the teacher, Ms. Rutabaga said, smiling up at them. She indicated to two empty seats right next to each other, and even worse, up at the front. "The only seats left." Lysander pleaded to her with his eyes, but either she saw it but wanted to ignore it, or she didn't see it at all. It was most likely the latter. Helplessly the two sat in their seats on the edges of their chairs.

"Today we will be talking about. . ." she started.

The lesson went for a whole hour and ten minutes, since it was a double period. Finally, groaning, Michelle got out of her seat and exited the classroom. Lysander followed shortly after he had gathered up his books. The violet-eyed girl was waiting for him outside, for some reason.

"You never told me what department you were in, Sage, _or _your full name," Michelle said, crossing her arms.

'Why should I tell you?' was Lysander's first thought, but thought better of it and answered, "Lysander Sage. Art Department. You?"

"Art Department, Michelle Alexandria—"she started to say, but Lysander cut her off.

"I already know that part," he said, not being able to help but grin.

"I can see that."

"I'm so sure."

"I really can!"

"Mm-hmm."

"This is stupid."

"Like you."

"Hey!"

"I'm good, aren't I?"

"You aren't even close, Sage."

"Well, I'm better than you."

"Dream on."

"I will."

"Not literally!"

"Oh, yeah?"

"Oh, yeah."

"You're right, this _is _stupid."

"You bet!"

"Then why are you continuing this idiotic conversation?"

"Ooh, using big words, are we?"

"Big words? Me? You must be mistaken."

You could now see why Kristy Twirl and Gabriel Silk, returning from English, were surprised to see Lysander Sage and Michelle Turner walking to their next class, joking around. You can also see why Tancred Torsson and Emma Tolly, heading toward their next class, were absolutely astonished to see the two enemies laughing over jokes and their own hilarious sarcasm.

"This is one of life's darkest mysteries," Kristy muttered to Gabriel.

"You bet, Kris," the mousy-haired boy replied, his eyes wide.

"I will remember this for all eternity," Tancred murmured.

"As will I," Emma added, nodding.

Author's Note: Very, er, exciting chapter, wasn't it? Well, to see more, R & R! I won't update until I get at least five reviews. Hehe, I'm evil, aren't I?


	12. The Cure is Revealed

"Hi, Miss Ingledew. Hi, Em. Hi, Kris," Michelle greeted the three females in Ingledew's Bookshop as she stepped into the back room with Tancred and Lysander close behind. Gabriel was currently using the restroom, and was unavailable for conversation. The six had grown close since the day they had met. Charlie, Fidelio, and Olivia were left out of the whole thing because Fidelio was wrapped up in music, Charlie was being 'punished' by his grandmother, and Olivia was starring in a film with her mother. Tancred, Lysander, Gabriel, Emma, and Kristy had wasted no time explaining everything that had happened to their new friend, and now Michelle Alexandria Turner was part of the Tristan Ghost Rescue Team.

"Hi, Mishie," Kristy answered, smiling up from a book as her best friend Gabriel rushed back from the bathroom. "Hey, Gabe. Back again, I see?" The small fourteen-year-old grinned at her sheepishly and waved to Tancred, Lysander, and Michelle.

"Would you three like sandwiches?" Miss Julia Ingledew offered, holding out a tray of sandwiches filled with exotic fillings. They accepted, for her sandwiches were the best of the best.

"So, have you found anything yet?" Tancred asked, taking a seat beside Kristy, who was sitting next to Gabriel.

"No," Emma replied, her blue eyes scanning _Herbs to Horticulture._ "Nothing yet. Can any of you help us research?" Michelle and Lysander picked up books to help Tancred, Kristy, Emma, Gabriel, and Miss Ingledew.

Suddenly, Kristy bolted up from her seat. "Oh, my Gosh! I totally forgot! I'm supposed to be—oh!" Gabriel tried to calm her down, but failed to succeed.

"Forgot what?" Tancred said to the hyper girl. "What did you forget, Kristy? Tell us, or I'll blow your shirt off."

"I bet you wouldn't mind that," said Lysander with a huge grin.

"Mr. Yewbeam! I was supposed to meet him five minutes ago! D'you guys mind if I leave?" Kristy said, jumping up and down.

"We don't mind," they all chorused. Waving, Kristy leaped out of the bookshop and ran to number nine, Filbert Street. It was a new record fit for the Guinness.

The brazen track star rang the doorbell to find a gray-haired woman dressed in black staring grimly at her. This was obviously Mrs. Bone, Charlie's grandmother. "What do you want, you ruddy girl?" she screeched impatiently. Obviously, she wasn't welcome here.

"Let her in, Grizelda," a rich voice ordered behind the old woman. Grandma Bone 'hmph'ed and stood aside, revealing a tall man with luxurious black hair and kind eyes.

"You must be Mr. Yewbeam," Kristy said. "I'm sooo sorry I'm late. I didn't mean to. I just—" Uncle Paton raised a hand to stop her.

"It's all right. You must be Kristina. I haven't seen you since you were little," he said, smiling brightly. "Come in. I hope my sister didn't frighten you." Relaxing at his patience, Kristy stepped into Charlie's house. Charlie himself was sitting on the couch, crunching on potato chips.

"Hi, Kris! I thought you weren't going to come!" he greeted her, his worry vanishing. "Hope my grandma didn't scare you." Laughing, Kristy gave him a friendly hug.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about, Mr. Yewbeam?" she asked Charlie's great-uncle after sitting down on the couch and accepting an offer of a bag of Sour Cream & Onion potato chips.

Paton Yewbeam hesitated for a second. Then, suddenly, Charlie blurted out, "It's about your dad, Kristy." At this, Uncle Paton looked up warily, and Kristy's bright eyes glowed like big, mysterious green lanterns in the dim light.

"Charlie, that was before—" Paton started, then took a deep breath. "Before her aunt's unfortunate predicament."

"So you must have found the cure!" Kristy piped excitedly, shaking with curiosity. Paton sighed wearily. Charlie was surprised. His great-uncle was hardly ever like this.

"I won't deny it," Paton replied slowly. "But the cure will be . . .well, it will be very hard to find."

"But I thought you already found it," Charlie said, puzzled. Kristy raised a slender finger to her lips, commanding silence.

"No, Charlie," Paton continued. "But I do know where you can find it."

Kristy couldn't stand the suspense anymore. She let out an unladylike growl of frustration. "Can you just please tell us? I'm going to die if you don't tell the cure in two seconds!"

"I'm counting," Charlie said quickly. "One, two. You can die now, Kris."

The girl rolled her almond-shaped eyes. "You know, Chazz, you can sometimes be really annoying."

"That's what I live for," Charlie answered with a huge grin. "To annoy you."

Paton cleared his throat quite loudly. "I thought we were discussing how to find the cure for your aunt," he said gruffly. Kristy's undivided attention returned to her friend's great-uncle's words. Charlie and Paton could almost actually _feel_ her tension radiating from her. The silky smooth strands of shining auburn locks seemed to be quivering, and the green eyes they knew so well were swelling up, becoming more luminous by the second. Now they looked too big for her face. Charlie stifled a gale of laughter, and even Paton had to hold in a chuckle, though the situation was supposed to be serious. Kristy was faintly annoyed, but her glowing face couldn't show it; her enthusiasm was too great.

"First," Paton said, smiling widely. "You must find a hypnotist." Charlie and Kristy glanced at each other and were about to speak, but he interrupted. "Don't ask questions until the end. Since the box is using a powerful source of hypnotism, you must find a power greater than its source." Kristy looked like she was about to burst with the questions forming in her cramped mind. Paton raised a hand and went on.

"I found out from one of the ancient books that history may be repeating itself. So, your aunt, Kristy, will be put to a deep sleep. Then, you must travel _back in time._ There, a sorcerer will help you."

"And Aunt Tristy will be cured?" Kristy piped squeakily.

"Then your aunt will be cured," Paton said.

"And everything will be all right," Charlie said quietly.

"And after that, we can find your dad, Chazz," Kristy mumbled. Charlie stared at her with wide eyes like walnuts. He gulped, searching the right words, for he knew from experience, that Kristy's chaotic temper could be awakened easily.

"You know where he is?" Surprisingly, it was Paton who had asked the question, looking exactly as Kristy had when they were talking about Tristan.

Kristy smiled that mysterious smile only Kristy could. "You'll see. You'll see," was all she said, still wearing that half-smile.

Five minutes later, Kristy said good-bye to Paton and Charlie, sprinting to Ingledew's Bookshop, where Tancred, Lysander, Gabriel, Michelle, and Emma were waiting, eager for a summary of their friend's visit with Paton Yewbeam. Julia Ingledew was listening intently, too. When Kristy was done recalling the tale, the bookshop was quiet. You could hear a pin drop in there.

"So we have to find a hypnotist," Gabriel whispered, "then go back in _time?"_

Kristy shrugged. "That's what Charlie's uncle said," she said promptly.

"But that's impossible!" Tancred and Emma said in unison.

"Go back in time?" Lysander and Miss Ingledew murmured.

Michelle was completely silent. She was looking at Kristy with her amethyst eyes. The thirteen-year-old girl finally noticed her gaze and glanced back with bright emeralds.

"Is there something you want to tell us, Mish?" Kristy inquired loudly, so everyone could hear. The muttering stopped. Michelle looked shyly around the room, which was very unlike the bold, brazen girl she usually was.

"No," she said, dropping her gaze to the floor. "Nothing at all."

Everyone could see she was lying, but what did it matter? It was her privacy, and they would be the ones that would be doing wrong if they invaded it. This was the thought of everyone in the room, especially Lysander.

"Why isn't she telling us anything?" Gabriel whispered to Kristy. "We can be trusted."

Kristy shook her head once. "She doesn't know enough about us yet," she said knowingly. "But there's something mysterious about her . . .she has a strange aura about her." Any other person would have stared at Kristy as if she were insane (well, maybe not Tancred), but Gabriel Silk, being her best friend, knew enough about her to tell that she was probably right. He nodded to show that he had heard.

Tancred, however, was not so understanding. He was looking at Kristy and Gabriel intently. His gaze was suspicious. The two friends were close together, whispering. _What are they up to?_ he thought to himself. _If Gabe even _thinks _that—_

"Tanc?" Emma's clear voice interrupted his thoughts. Her soft, youthful fingers were waving in front of his wide blue eyes.

"What?" Tancred snapped sharply. Emma seemed startled, then she looked at the direction the turbulent boy was staring, and figured out what was making Tancred so edgy.

"You worry too much, Tane," she said soothingly. "They're just being the best friends they are."

"Well, they could at least stay farther away from each other," Tancred replied, the tone of his voice annoyed.

"Aww, c'mon," Emma said cheerfully. "I know Kris and Gabe well enough to know that they won't—you know—do whatever you're thinking."

"I'm not too sure about that," Tancred said darkly. Emma sighed. This boy was as stubborn and headstrong as a mule, completely unlike the mature fourteen-year-old he looked on the outside.

"Just shut up and cheer up," Michelle's voice drifted into their conversation. Tancred and Emma looked at her abruptly. Their new friend's bright red cheeks had cooled down, and the violet sparks that were her eyes were calm and collected. They felt the same thing Kristy did. They knew that Michelle Alexandria Turner was out of the ordinary.

Author's Note: I finally updated! Sorry, but my computer got a virus and all, and I had no time because my teachers LOADED me with homework. Ergh. I can't believe I said the disgusting word.

Thanks for Reviewing! I forgot my promise; I only got 3 reviews.


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